Life-style and travel demand

Lifestyle, Congestion, Travel behavior, Long-range forecasting,

The Influence of Hearing Impairment on Driving Avoidance Among a Large Cohort of Older Drivers

As people age, some of the commonly experienced psychomotor, visual, and cognitive declines can interfere with the ability to safely drive, often leading to situational avoidance of challenging driving situations. The effect of hearing impairment on these avoidance behaviors has not been comprehensively studied. Data from the American Automobile Association (AAA) Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study were used to assess the effect of hearing impairment on driving avoidance, using three measures of hearing. Results indicated that hearing loss plays a complex role in driving avoidance, and that an objective hearing measure was a stronger predictor than hearing aid use and self-rated hearing. Greater hearing impairment was related to less nighttime and freeway driving, more trips farther than 15 mi from home, and lower odds of avoiding peak driving times. The moderating influence of hearing on both vision and cognition is also discussed, along with study implications and future research.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/193065/2/vivoda-et-al-2021-the-influence-of-hearing-impairment-on-driving-avoidance-among-a-large-cohort-of-older-drivers.pdfPublished versio

Improving Safe Mobility: An Assessment of Vehicles and Technologies among a Large Cohort of Older Drivers

Evidence suggests that older driver safety may be improved by good vehicle maintenance, in-vehicle advanced technologies, and proper vehicle adaptations. This study explored the prevalence of several measures of vehicle maintenance and damage among older drivers through inspection of their vehicles. We also investigated the prevalence of in-vehicle technologies and aftermarket adaptations. Vehicle inspections were conducted by trained research staff using an objective, standardized procedure. This procedure, developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, was based on a review of inspection checklists used by automobile dealerships and the project team's expertise. The study used baseline data from vehicles of 2988 participants in the multi-site Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study. Among this cohort, vehicles were well maintained, had little damage, and contained a range of advanced technologies but few aftermarket adaptations. Implications of study findings for occupational therapy practice are discussed.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/193077/2/Improving Safe Mobility An Assessment of Vehicles and Technologies among a Large Cohort of Older Drivers.pdfPublished versio

The Association between Visual Abilities and Objectively-Measured Driving Space, Exposure, and Avoidance among Older Drivers.

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/193078/2/The-Association-Between-Visual-Abilities-and-Objectively-Measured-Driving-Space-Exposure-and-Avoidance-among-Older-Drivers.pdfPublished versio

Mobility accessibility and quality of later life

Older people today are more active and more mobile than previous generations. However, they continue to suffer a reduction in quality of life when giving up driving. This article reports research carried out to identify the role of mobility and accessibility in older people's self-reported quality of life, through an in-depth examination of older people's travel needs. A wholly qualitative approach, utilising a variety of data collection methods including focus groups, interviews and diary completion, was employed with 57 people aged over 65 in the UK, of which 26 were drivers and 31 had recently given up driving. The findings emphasise the importance of mobility for accessing services and shops. However, the reasons why older people travel and the importance of mobility go beyond accessibility to include the desire for independence, control, maintaining status, inclusion, 'normalness' and travel for its own sake. All these are related to an individual's perception of quality of life. When older people give up driving, their self-reported quality of life is reduced and this seems very much related to a reduction in affective and aesthetic qualities of mobility that a car affords that walking and using public transport lack. It is suggested that policy and practice needs to consider such motives for travel. Copyright © Pier Professional Ltd