Introduction
The reliability on elderly drivers has become a moot point of discussion recently. Old age drivers are being associated with increased number of accidents and fatality. But, this is not the complete picture. Analysis of various data points reveals that association of elderly people with higher incidents of crashes and accidents is usually overstated. A study conducted in South Australia on age of crash involved drivers between 1994 and 1998 concludes that frequency of accidents reduces with age (Baldock and McLean 5). The 2009 census data of the United States also reports lower occurrence of accidents in drivers aged 55 years and above (United States Census Bureau). This can be accounted to a higher sense of responsibility in the elderly drivers against the younger age drivers.
Having said this, the impact of ageing on efficient driving skills cannot be negated. Ageing impairs with the smooth functioning of sensory and cognitive systems of people. It also increases fragility. Older aged people are usually on some kind of medication that may have an impact on their driving skills. However, the ageing process affects different people differently. And many a times, people are not aware of, or do not want to accept, their declining abilities. Also, there has been a rise in the percentage of elderly people in the total population. According to psychologist Levinson, percentage of people above 65 years of age has increased to 13 per cent, as compared to 3 per cent in the beginning of the century. In this context, an elderly driver test acts as a precautionary measure to screen out those who are not adept in their driving skills.
Driving is a complex process involving aspects of functionality like sensory, cognitive and psychomotor skills, many of which decline with age (Andrian et. al. 1). The objective of this paper is to understand the various age related influences on an ageing person, re-establishing the need for a law on elderly driver testing. The paper is divided into three sections. The first section discusses the impact of ageing on the functionality of a person. The second section describes the behavioural disorders associated with aging. The third section concludes the paper.
Impact of Ageing on Functionality
Ageing, irrefutably, causes physical decline in human beings. It increases fragility, decline in efficiency and loss of energy. Most of these functionality deteriorations are associated with efficiency is driving. It also affects the mental processes of a human being.
Impact on the Sensory System
Vision and hearing are two important elements of the sensory system required for skilful driving. Both these elements decline with age, more so after the age of 50.
Vision significantly declines with ageing (Siewe 1). There are three aspects of vision that get impaired with age. First, speed of visual scanning is reduced. With age, the eye lens becomes relatively inelastic and it takes more time for the eye to recognize an object. The problem aggravates in case of moving objects. This slowness makes it difficult for an old age person to thoroughly scan the external environment while driving. Second, driving in low light becomes difficult. The pupil contracts with age and becomes less transparent, causing less light to reach the retina (Siewe 1). It obstructs with safe driving in dim light conditions. Third, visual-spatial processing is important for driving and is weakened with age. Perception of distance and mapping traffic flow and proximity is adversely affected due to ageing (Levinson). It is disastrous as the driver may not be able to see the nearing traffic, make a clear picture of the surroundings or estimate the exact distance. Fourth, the ability to read and perceive colours also reduced with age (Levinson). This can make it difficult for the driver to read instructions and sign boards while driving.
Hearing ability is also reduced with age. It becomes more prominent after the age of 50. About 50 per cent of people above the age of 75 have significant hearing problem that interferes with their ability to converse effectively (Siewe 3). Inability to hear properly may interfere with good driving judgement in old age.
Impact on the Cognitive System
Cognition is the mental process of attaining knowledge using sensory organs, perceptions and life experiences. It is related to the aspects of attention, awareness, logical reasoning and judgement making. Tendency of getting lost, moving slower than the traffic and reduced decision making ability is observed in old age which may be detrimental to driving. Broadly, impact of cognition on driving can be understood with aspects of reduced reflexes and motor abilities, and attention and executive skills.
Reduced Reflexes and Motor Abilities
Reflexes slow and fine motor abilities reduce with age (Levinson). This leads to a variety of driving related incompetency in elderly people. Firstly, integration of visual and motor functions is impaired. A study conducted by ophthalmologists concludes that elderly people have performed poorly on tests involving integration of visual information and appropriate action to control steering, braking and accelerating (Keay et. al. 111). Second, motor abilities required for controlling the car is declined in old age people. A senior pharmacist reveals that motor abilities like strength of muscles and its flexibility reduces in old age people, causing difficulty in controlling the car and turning the body (Zagaria). Third, manual dexterity is also impaired in ageing people. They may find it increasingly difficult to move the steering skilfully to avoid the nearing traffic.
Attention and Executive Skills
Attention and high level executive skills are also adversely affected in late adulthood. The major changes experienced are reduced spontaneity, slower decision making and loss of personal control. A consultant pharmacist concludes that elderly drives have a tendency to become lost and confused in traffic congestions (Zagaria). People in late adulthood are usually on some kind of medication that may affect their analytical skills and render driving risky.
Impact of Ageing on Behavioural Traits
Behavioural disorder is an important risk factor in elderly drivers. According to the American Psychological Association, about six per cent of older adults in the United States suffer from anxiety disorders (Apa.org). Not only this, late adulthood is also characterised by other behavioural problems like depression, aggression and lack of confidence. Difficult experiences in old age, like loss of loved ones, can make people more vulnerable and sad. Dementia is an age related disorder that affects the behaviour and psychology of a person. Increased irritability is also experienced in old age. Existence of any of these behavioural anomalies can be detrimental for elderly drivers.
Thus, elderly drivers are under the risk of unsafe driving. Some countries and states have enforced law to tackle with this issue. Florida has a law enforcing a requirement of regular vision test for driving license renewal after the age of 80. In the United Kingdom, there is a law to submit fitness certificates every three years after the age of 70. In Colorado, there is a legal requirement to renew driving license every five years after reaching the age of 61. For drivers below the age of 61, renewal is required every ten years. However, the law enforcement is still in the nascent stages of development. There is a need to sensitise elderly drivers of the additional risks to safe driving with age. This will help them perform a self-analysis and stop driving when they conclude that it is unsafe.
Conclusion
Elderly people have been increasingly associated with road accidents. But, researches show that association of elderly drivers with crashes in overstated. In spite of the physical decline with age, an increased sense of responsibility and experience helps avoid accidents in late adulthood. In spite of this, adverse effects of ageing on driving skills cannot be negated, that too, with growing older population. Ageing results in deteriorating functionality and increasing behavioural disorders. Functionality deterioration includes impact on sensory, cognitive and psychomotor skills that are important for safe driving. Behavioural disorders increased anxiety, depression and aggression in old age. In addition to this, the ageing process affects different people differently and many a times, people are not aware of, or do not want to accept, their declining abilities. Thus, testing the elderly drivers for their driving skills is very important to avoid on-road accidents. A separate regulation for elderly drivers mandating frequent health, sensory and cognition tests is required. It is also required to sensitise the elderly people of the importance of regular testing of driving skills for their own safety.
Works Cited
Andrian, J., Virginie, P., Mossienger M. and Charles A. “Implication of the Cognitive Fucntions and Personality Traits on Tactical Compensation Among Older Drivers: A Gender Comparison. Sortclearinghouse.info, 1 Jun. 2010. Web. 1 Jun. 2012
American Psychological Association. “Older Adults' Health and Age-Related Changes”. Apa.org, 2012. Web. 1 Jun. 2012.
Baldock, MRJ and McLean, AJ. “Older drivers: Crash involvement rates and causes”. Centre for Automotive Safety Research, June 2005. Web. 31 May 2012.
Keay, Lisa et. al. “Visual and Cognitive Deficits Predict Stopping or Restricting Driving: The Salisbury Eye Evaluation Driving Study (SEEDS)”. IOVS 50.1 (2009): 107-113. Web. 1 Jun. 2012.
Siewe, Youmasu J. “Understanding the Effects of Aging on the Sensory System”. Okstate.edu. Web. 31 May 2012.
United States Census Bureau. “Transportation: Motor Vehicle Accidents and Fatalities”. Census.gov, 2009. Web. 31 May 2012.
Zagaria, Mary Ann E. “Vision, Cognition, and Mobility Challenges for Elderly Drivers”. Uspharmacist.com, 23 Jan. 2007. Web. 1 Jun. 2012
