Neuropsychological predictors of driving errors in older adults

Abstract

Objectives: To identify neuropsychological factors associated with driving errors in older adults. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Neuropsychological assessment laboratory and an instrumented vehicle on a 35-mile route on urban and rural roads. Participants: One hundred eleven older adult drivers (aged 65-89; mean age 72.3) and 80 middle-aged drivers (aged 40-64; mean age 57.2). Measurements: Explanatory variables included age, neuropsychological measures (cognitive, visual, and motor), and a composite cognitive score (COGSTAT). The outcome variable was the safety error count, as classified according to video review using a standardized taxonomy. Results: Older drivers committed an average of 35.8 ± 12.8 safety errors per drive, compared with an average of 27.8 ± 9.8 for middle-aged drivers (P