Older former drivers’ health, activity, and transport in New Zealand

Abstract

Objectives: Describe characteristics of New Zealand older adults who are no longer driving - their health, activity patterns, and mobility/transport practices. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 102 former drivers, recruited from a population-based sample of community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years), the first wave of an older driver longitudinal study. Results: Most common reasons for stopping driving were feeling unsafe/uncomfortable or health issues. Most participants did not plan ahead for driving cessation and travelled by car with family or friends; very few used alternative transport modes. Compared with healthier former drivers, former drivers with poor self-reported health expressed more dissatisfaction with their lives and their ability to get places, were lonelier, and went out less than before they stopped driving. Conclusion: The older New Zealand former drivers studied were mostly female, widowed, and living alone. Very few had planned ahead for driving cessation, and most transport was heavily dependent on private cars driven by others.