The ability to drive is an important factor for older adults to maintain independence, social connectedness, access to services (e.g., healthcare), and overall quality of life; however, motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death among adults age 65 and older, second only to falls.
This topic area was identified as an emphasis are in the Iowa Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). Our team is working to better understand how safety outcomes for older drivers relate to state-level policy and other factors.
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Impact of State Driver Licensing Policies on Older Driver Crash Involvement Rates
Driver license renewal policy components in the U.S. vary largely by state and there are limited data on their effectiveness in preventing crashes and related injuries. Licensing policies may differentially impact rural drivers, who live further from services. Three of the most prevalent state licensing policies that impact older drivers are the periods required for license renewal (which are often reduced with age), requirements for in-person renewals (rather than online), and vision testing.
Our research is investigating these issues to: 1) Determine the impact of state driver licensing policies on older driver motor vehicle crash and injury rates, and 2) Evaluate the effectiveness of state driver licensing policy components on preventing older driver motor vehicle crashes by rurality.
The research team is analyzing state-level licensing policies and crash data from 13 states. This is the first study to examine older driver non-fatal motor vehicle crash and injury rates in association with state-level licensing policies in the U.S. Results will provide evidence to increase state-level implementation of effective licensing policies to reduce the public health burden of injury, prevent premature de-licensure, and improve overall quality of life among older adults.
This project is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC).
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Crash Risk Factors Among Older Drivers and Differences Across Age Groups
Dr. Gilsu Pae is analyzing crash datasets to assess how driver behavior, environment, and crash factors differ across age group among older drivers. Early analysis has focused on older driver crash culpability in Iowa from 2010-2020.
This project is funded by the University of Iowa Injury Prevention Research Center (IPRC).