In-Vehicle Technologies, Vehicle Adaptations, and Older Drivers: Use, Learning, and Prevalence

This study utilized the baseline data from the Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study, a multi-year research project sponsored by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The LongROAD study was designed to explore several areas of older driver safety and mobility, including: protective and risk factors; medications; medical conditions; self-regulation; in-vehicle technologies and aftermarket adaptations; and cessation of driving. Nearly 3,000 total participants age 65-79 were enrolled in the LongROAD study from health systems located in and around five cities in different states (California, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan and New York) beginning in July of 2015 and ending in March of 2017. One important focus of the LongROAD study is to better understand the prevalence, use, and perceptions of in-vehicle technologies (e.g. blind spot warning, backup assist systems) and aftermarket vehicle adaptations (e.g. seat cushions, safety belt extenders). At baseline, participants completed a vehicle technology questionnaire and their primary vehicle was visually inspected for technologies and adaptations. This presentation will: describe the findings from the questionnaire regarding older drivers’ use, learning, and perceptions of safety related to the technologies/adaptations present in their vehicle; compare the prevalence of technologies/adaptations found during inspection to those self-reported; and show how self-reported and inspection data were related to demographic characteristics (sex, age group, the interaction of sex and age group, and household income). Findings have the potential to impact the development of countermeasures and recommendations that could enhance older driver safety, mobility and health.