Driving Privileges Of Older Drivers Essay

Introduction

Public Safety And Consideration of Driving Privilege of Older Drivers

Every year the average life expectancy in the United States is dramatically increasing. The result of dramatic increasing of the population of the senior citizens is the rapid increase in the numbers of older drivers. By the year of 2030, drivers of above the age of 65 are projected to constitute 25% of the licensed population. Studies showed that increasing in the numbers of older drivers creates more frequency of motor vehicle crashes. Thus, several assessments are performed to identify high-risk older drivers to make licensing decisions. Appropriate interventions are also employed to assist older drivers in making determinations for their life transitions.

(2006), implementing performance-based measures would identify older drivers who are potentially high-risks of involvement in motor vehicle crashes. Such as visual deficits, poor physical coordination, failure in demonstration of appropriate cognitive skills are observed by using the Useful Field of View Test (UFOV) and Motor Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT). This observation is stated by Ball et al. (2006) as “ The UFOV and MVPT measures are sensitive to significant declines in functional visual abilities, as well as declines in cognitive abilities, the sensitivity of these measure might be enhanced in a study without prescreening for vision.” However, the study carried out by Classen et al.(2008) suggested that evaluating on the single risk factor is not fair and enough to decide whether the individual older driver is still qualified to drive or not. Thus, Classen et al. (2008) explicitly identified factors such personal, vehicle, environmental, policy in licensing, and socio-environmental factors, and also explained that these multi-risk factors should be taken account as the underlying factors of motor vehicle collision in older drivers. Also, these multi-risk factors are able to be predictable. Classen e al. (2008) concluded the study as implementing intervention based on the multifactor approaches would lead to public safety, also promote safe driving among older