Dr Julie Gandolfi Driving Research Ltd wwwdrivingresearchcouk Process of Agerelated Impairments Leading to Problem Driving Gandolfi 2009 Clear intuitive warning signage and road markings ID: 734183
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Slide1
Maximising compatibility between the older driver and the traffic environment
Dr Julie Gandolfi
Driving Research Ltd.
www.drivingresearch.co.ukSlide2
Process of Age-related Impairments Leading to Problem
Driving (
Gandolfi
, 2009) Slide3
Clear, intuitive warning signage and road markingsPath guidance e.g. rumble strips
Advance warning of bends
Use of minimum curve length and maximum sharpness
High-contrast road markings
Maintenance to keep contrast ratio up
Signage placed in central visual areaChevron plate delineators in bends
Perception countermeasures
Observation countermeasuresSlide4
Cognitive processing countermeasuresSlide5
Boot et al. (2015), Mayer Brown (2016
),
TRIP (2018)
Offset turn lanes
Improved night visibility - reflective signs and markers, street lightingIncreased text size on signs, internal lightingAnti-glare surfaces, shadow avoidanceUse of appropriate angles at junctions to facilitate observationsWidening carriageways and straightening curvesRumble strips and other tactile surfaces to warn of lane deviation or approach to hazardDedicated right turn phase at signal junctionsAdjusting perception-action time allowances (e.g. increased yellow light phases)Strong focus on older driver education and training and acknowledgement of the role of vehicle technologyEngineering measuresSlide6
However, as Toth
(2012) already pointed out:
Many pieces of engineering advice focus around
Widening
or adding
turn lanes and increasing the length of slip roadsWidening lanes and hard shoulders to reduce the consequence of driving mistakesMaking bends more gradual and easier to navigate= making roads wider, straighter, and fasterHOW WILL THIS HELP THE OLDER DRIVER???Slide7
Latest research
Older drivers tend to avoid motorways – the widest, straightest, fastest roads (Zhao et al., 2018)
Many older
drivers (over 75) still engage in frequent
speeding behaviour
(Chevalier et al.,2016)Performance on certain neuropsychological test variables are strongly linked to lane positioning capabilities (Mardh, 2016; Sun et al., 2018), offering opportunities for driver assessment and/or “brain training”In the US, 1 in 9 people over 65 has dementia, with prevalence increasing with age, but self-regulation is evident, particularly in urban areas (Fraade-Blanar, 2018)Newnam et al. (2018) found no differences between middle-aged and older truck drivers in crash characteristics and outcomesOLDER DRIVERS ARE NOT A HOMOGENEOUS GROUPSlide8
Stress, confidence & technology
Self-regulation can be a reaction to discomfort in stressful driving conditions, rather than intentional self-monitoring (
Meng
& Siren, 2012
)
Drivers can attribute discomfort and stress to external causes (i.e. glare sensitivity, changes in the road systems, vehicle technology issues) rather than possible declines in driving ability (Hassan et al., 2015)Stress itself further compromises driving performance (Matthews, 1996)New resources exist to help older drivers adapt to new vehicle technology and understand the impact it can have on driving behaviour, e.g. Smart Features for Older Drivers (AAA, 2017), mycardoeswhat.org (NSC, 2017) Slide9
Technology can be effective in reducing older driver risk, e.g. Trip Diary (Payyanadan
et al. (2017
))
Feedback on trips driven,
low-risk route alternatives, and frequency of risky driving
behaviours along a driven routeFeedback reduced route risk by 2.9% per weekExpected crash rate dropped from 1 in 6172 trips to 1 in 7173 tripsSpeeding frequency fell by 0.9% per week (46% to 39% speeding frequency per observed trip)TECHNOLOGY CAN BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO OLDER DRIVERSAS LONG AS IT IS THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGYAND THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WITH ITSlide10
Tackling older drivers
5
th
level of the GDE – social level – particularly relevant to older drivers as well as young drivers (
Keskinen
, 2014)Influencing factors:Goals and norms associated with the social groupPeer feedbackSelf-perception around driving cessation – independence, self-worth, social connection, household compositionJust 2 hours of tailored driving lessons using the GDE framework can reduce unsafe behavioural choices in an older driver cohort (Anstey et al., 2018)Slide11
Implementing changeSlide12
Drivers in stage 2 (Unengaged) and stage 4 (Resisting action)
showed significantly higher self-ratings
of
their own driving ability
compared
with those in the other stages (Hassan et al., 2017)Customised interventions are required, based on personal, social, and environmental circumstances anticipated outcomes (increased awareness, enhanced self-monitoring, adoption of self-regulation, or planning cessation), in order to move individuals through the stages of change (Tuokko et al., 2014)PERSONALISED FEEDBACK AND COACHING ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING UNSAFE BEHAVIOURS(AS WITH OTHER DRIVER GROUPS)Slide13
Engineering
behavioural adaptation new problems
Young drivers ----------------------------------------------------------------------Old drivers
Where is the line?
EFFECTIVE SELF-MONITORING AND BEHAVIOURAL AWARENESS:
ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR LIFE, FROM THE FIRST DRIVE TO THE LASTIn summaryThank you. Questions?Dr Julie GandolfiDriving Research Ltd.www.drivingresearch.co.uk