the individual participant found challenging or frustrating and then moved to strategies that the participant could implement to avoid those driving situations. Such strategies included driving during daylight and not at night, driving in less busy routes, not driving at rush hour, postponing trips in bad weather, and seeking out routes in which three right turns could substitute for one left turn. Drivers were encouraged to identify strategies that could realistically be incorporated into their own routine driving. Before the session ended participants set goals in a personal written contract that listed ways they would try to modify their driving behavior.

The drivers that participated in the program reported better avoidance of challenging driving maneuvers and reported regulating their behavior to avoid challenging or unsafe driving situations. Dr. Owsley speculates that the kinds of behavior changes that the participants instituted may not be reflected in a reduced crash rate because crashes are uncommon events. "Crashes are rare when you look at the millions of miles we drive. Crashes have many causes, including not only driver error, but other factors such as weather conditions, erratic behavior of other drivers and road conditions. Therefore, it is difficult to measure the impact that some of these subtle behavioral changes may have on collision rates."

When measured on a per-mile-driven basis, licensed drivers 60 year and over have a collision rate equivalent to younger drivers aged 25 years, whose crash rate is highest among all age groups. It may be possible, however, it might be possible to teach an older driver who wants to remain behind the wheel about their functional deficits that affect driving skills and to facilitate strategies for self regulation. "Results of study suggest that, on average, older drivers do embrace these new behaviors," said Dr. Owsley.

"If we are going to offer these programs, we need the parti
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Contact: Bob Shepard
bshep@uab.edu
205-934-8934
American Medical Association
4-Mar-2004

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