title: Effect of cognitive status on self-regulatory driving behavior in older adults: an assessment of naturalistic driving using in-car video recordings.
abstract: Previous findings that older drivers engage in strategic self-regulatory behaviors to minimize perceived safety risks are primarily based on survey reports rather than actual behavior. This study analyzed in-car video recording of naturalistic driving of 18 patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and 20 age-matched controls in order to (1) characterize self-regulatory behaviors engaged by older drivers and (2) assess how behaviors change with cognitive impairment. Only participants who were rated "safe" on a prior standardized road test were selected for this study. Both groups drove primarily in environments that minimized the demands on driving skill and that incurred the least risk for involvement in major crashes. Patients with AD displayed further restrictions of driving behavior beyond those of healthy elderly individuals, suggesting additional regulation on the basis of cognitive status. These data provide critical empirical support for findings from previous survey studies indicating an overall reduction in driving mobility among older drivers with cognitive impairment.
authors: Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Elena_Festa@brown.edu
authors: Elena K
authors: EK
authors: Festa
authors: Brian R
authors: BR
authors: Ott
authors: Kevin J
authors: KJ
authors: Manning
authors: Jennifer D
authors: JD
authors: Davis
authors: William C
authors: WC
authors: Heindel
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000523:psychology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D014741:Video Recording; D014887:Weather