Has the time come for an older driver vehicle?

The population of the world is growing older. As people grow older they are more likely to experience declines that can make operating a personal automobile more difficult. Once driving abilities begin to decline, older adults are often faced with decreased mobility. Due to the preference for and pervasiveness of the personal automobile for satisfying mobility needs, there is a global necessity to keep older adults driving for as long as they can safely do so. In this report we explore the question: Has the time come for an older driver vehicle? Great gains in safe mobility could be made by designing automobiles that take into account, and help overcome, some of the deficits in abilities common in older people. The report begins by providing a background and rationale for an older driver vehicle, including discussions of relevant trends, age-related declines in functional abilities, and the adverse consequences of decreased mobility. The next section discusses research and issues related to vehicle design and advanced technology with respect to older drivers. The next section explores crashworthiness issues and the unique requirements for older adults. The following section discusses the many issues related to marketing a vehicle that has been designed for older drivers. The report concludes that there is a clear global opportunity to improve the safety, mobility, and quality of life of older adults by designing vehicles and vehicle technologies that help overcome common age-related deficits. The marketing of these vehicles to older consumers, however, will be challenging and will likely require further market research. The development of vehicle design features, new automotive technologies, and crashworthiness systems in the future should be guided by both knowledge of the effects of frailty/fragility of the elderly on crash outcomes, as well as knowledge of common drivingrelated declines in psychomotor, visual, and cognitive abilities. Design strategies that allow for some degree of customization may be particularly beneficial. It is clear that training and education efforts for using new vehicle features will need to be improved.The University of Michigan Sustainable Worldwide Transportationhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/89960/1/102821.pd

Final report: review of Michigan's safe community program and recommendations for improvement

Includes bibliographical references (p. 18-22)Building on the recognition that injuries are preventable and that community-based approaches have the greatest impact on saving lives and reducing injuries, a national safety and injury prevention program, Safe Communities (SC), was developed under the support of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The program was made available to individual states and has been implemented in several, including Michigan. The objectives of the study were to: 1) review the current Michigan SC program and 2) make recommendations for how the program can be improved in the future. The project objectives were accomplished through the following activities: 1) gaining an overall picture of the Michigan program through review of written materials and interviews with selected individuals associated with the program; 2) examining the experiences of a small sample of other states in promoting SC programs through review of written materials and interviews with a small sample of program coordinators; 3) identifying successful approaches for community-based intervention through a brief review of relevant literature; 4) developing recommendations for how the Michigan program can be improved, particularly with regard to redesign or restructuring; and 5) translating the recommendations into specific objectives that must be achieved to improve program performance, and prioritizing the objectives.Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, Lansinghttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/21608/1/98144.pd

Promising approaches for enhancing elderly mobility

Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-64)Notes: Prepared in cooperation with the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning and U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationMichigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, LansingNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/1536/4/97337.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/1536/2/97337.0001.001.pd

Review of Michigan's EUDL program

Includes bibliographical references (p. 36)Michigan’s Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) program for Fiscal Years 2000 -2004 is reviewed through a process evaluation of funded activities, an examination of EUDL strategies and programs in 17 other states, and an assessment of the extent to which Michigan EUDL program can be evaluated with respect to changes in underage drinking behavior. The process evaluation Michigan’s EUDL program indicates that the focus of the program has been on SPOTLIGHT, Operation LOOKOUT, and Party Patrol, through grants which fund these overtime police enforcement activities in a large number of Michigan communities. Program activities, for the most part, were carried out as planned. The review of EUDL strategies and programs in other states shows a wide variety of approaches. However, most states stress the importance of fostering collaboration at both the state and local level, and having a support network in place at, with all of the various involved agencies working together toward a shared and clear vision of what is to be accomplished. The assessment of the extent of “evaluability” indicates that the current mix of EUDL activities in Michigan makes it difficult to identify behavioral changes in drinking because the grants are awarded to a large number of jurisdictions spread across the state for narrowly focused, short term activities. Furthermore, while the data collected on these activities are useful for process evaluations, information is lacking on the underage drinking population and other exposure measures. It is recommended that future EUDL efforts be planned and implemented in concert with appropriate evaluation designs so that impacts of the programs on the amount and frequency of underage drinking and perceptions about alcohol use can be measured in addition to changes in the levels of enforcement activity.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/13908/2/99304.pd

Evaluation of a comprehensive community traffic safety effort: the Jackson County Comprehensive Traffic Safety Program

Notes: Report covers the period 1 Oct 93 to 30 Sept 94Michigan State Office of Highway Safety Planning, Lansinghttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/1091/2/87138.0001.001.pd

Age-Related Differences in Driver Behavior Associated with Automated Vehicles and the Transfer of Control between Automated and Manual Control: A Simulator Evaluation

The overall objective of this exploratory research was to examine specific human factors issues associated with transfer of control between automated and manual driving to characterize age-related differences in behaviors and reactions to this transition. Seventy-two participants were recruited from three age groups (young novice drivers age 16-19, older drivers age 65-75, and comparison drivers age 25-45). Participants were presented with simulated driving environments containing manual and automated driving modes with multiple transition scenarios. Objective driving data were collected on take-over related measures and visual gaze behaviors. Following the drive, participants completed the NASA TLX questionnaire, a structured interview to explore perceptions related to the drive, and a questionnaire to gather background information and to explore the use of various technologies. When analyzing performance in the driving simulator in terms of take-over related measures and visual gaze behaviors, it appeared that the young driver group markedly different, whereas the older driver group was closer in behaviors to the comparison group. There were also age differences found in the structured interview, questionnaire, and NASA TLX. This project extended research on automated vehicle technologies to encompass the social and behavioral aspects of the transfer of control between automated and manual control, and helps provide a foundation knowledge for age-specific issues related to automated vehicles.Mobility Transformation Center/Mcityhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137653/3/UMTRI-2017-4 .pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137653/1/UMTRI-2017-4 .docxDescription of UMTRI-2017-4 .pdf : Report UMTRI 2017-

Transportation in Michigan: older adults and caregivers

Michigan Department of Transportationhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90963/1/102858.pd

Use of automatic safety belts in Michigan

The use of automatic safety belts among motorists throughout the state of Michigan was examined in May 1990 as part of a broader direct-observation survey to measure compliance with Michigan's mandatory safety belt use law. Use of the two most common types of automatic belt systems were measured: the nonmotorized detachable three-point lap and shoulder belt system and the motorized shoulder belt with manual lap belt system. A total of 828 drivers and 237 front-right passengers were observed with automatic belt systems between April 30, 1990 and May 24, 1990. Use of nonmotorized detachable three-point lap and shoulder belt systems was 74.3%. Lap belt use of motorized shoulder and manual lap belt systems was 79.2%. Of all motorized shoulder belt and manual lap belt systems observed, 97.4% had the shoulder belts connected.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/29097/1/0000133.pd

Potential mechanisms underlying the decision to use a seat belt: a literature review

The purpose of this literature review was to serve as the background knowledgebase for a 5-year cooperative agreement between NHTSA and the University of Michigan. This discretionary cooperative agreement is intended to study promising lines of research that elucidate the mechanisms that underlie risk perception and can be applied to converting part-time belt users to full-time users. The overall goal of this cooperative agreement is to develop testable strategies, based on basic and applied research, for influencing risk perception to move motor vehicle occupants from part-time to full-time use of seat belts. Specific topics covered in this literature review are: individual belt user characteristics; social influences on belt use; applications from research on other risky behaviors; policy/enforcement/incentive; communication and education; and technology. Conclusions are drawn within each section and for the review overall.National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/110521/1/103147.pdfDescription of 103147.pdf : final repor

Recommendations for meeting the transportation needs of Michigan’s aging population

Mobility, or the ability to get from place to place, is important for everyone. Mobility enables people to conduct activities of daily life, stay socially connected with their world, participate in activities that make life enjoyable, and increase their quality of life. In the United States, and indeed in Michigan, personal mobility is frequently equated with being able to drive a personal automobile. However, because of age related medical conditions and the medications used to treat them, as people age into older adulthood they are more likely to experience declines in abilities needed for safe driving. Because of the preference for the personal automobile, and the lack of acceptable mobility alternatives, one focus of efforts to enhance safe mobility for older adults is to keep older adults driving for as long as they can safely do so. At the same time, society has a responsibility to help maintain mobility for those who are unable or choose not to drive. As the population of older adults in Michigan continues to grow, it is becoming more and more critical that the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) understand the mobility needs of older adults and incorporate these needs into transportation facility design and planning. This project provided the background information needed to help MDOT identify where to concentrate resources to maximize the safe mobility of Michigan’s aging population. The overall goal of the project was to help maintain the safety and well-being of Michigan’s older adult residents by developing a set of low-cost, high-impact measures that could be implemented by MDOT. This goal was achieved through a literature review, an analysis of demographic data, and statewide surveys of older adults and family members/caregivers for Michigan older adults in order to gain a better understanding of the travel and residency patterns, gaps in transportation services, and the transportation needs and wants of Michigan older adult residents and the population of adults who provide care and/or transportation assistance to Michigan older adults. The complete results of these research activities, a list of measures for improving older adult mobility in Michigan, and an implementation plan are included in this report.Michigan Department of Transportationhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90961/1/102857.pd