Older drivers are more likely to make these dangerous mistakes – Jalopnik

This is evident from a study published in Neuropsychology, a peer-reviewed journal of the… American Psychological Association (APA), driving errors increase significantly with age. The study showed that drivers in the oldest age group (between 85 and 89 years old) made four times as many critical driving errors as in the youngest group studied (between 70 and 74 years old). These findings are underlined by statistics published by the Insurance Institute for Road Safety (IIHS), which reports that older drivers are more likely to be in a fatal crash than middle-aged drivers.

The question of how old is too old to drive is difficult to answer, because there is no specific age at which someone must stop. Research published in Accident analysis and prevention found that drivers aged 75 and older had a lower crash rate per mile driven after mileage was taken into account, suggesting that age alone does not make drivers more dangerous. While this is not always the case and there are many more variables at play, there are certain mistakes that older drivers are more likely to make.

The most common driving error among seniors reported in the APA survey was failure to check blind spots. Despite having their vision screened before the test, they often failed to scan adjacent lanes before switching or merging. Older drivers have a lower functional range of neck and trunk movements, which could explain why these figures are significant. On the other hand, this is also where advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as blind spot monitoring, help.

An analysis from the IIHS and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), published by the Joint Program Office for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS JPO) found that blind spot monitoring systems reduce lane change accidents by 23%. This is especially important for modern driving, as those pesky blind spots are increasing as more and more people opt for SUVs. But regardless of whether these systems are in place or not, blind spots should always be checked. Aging is also known to shorten reaction times and divide attention, both of which can contribute to errors by making it harder to notice a vehicle.

According to a driving simulation study published by Dastrup et al. (2009)Older drivers traveled longer following distances than younger drivers. This can act as a compensatory strategy to reduce risk, as longer headway distances allow longer response times. While the APA study shows that more research is needed in the field of vision, the numbers presented ultimately contribute to overall driving risk.

The second most common error attributed to senior drivers in the APA survey was crossing lanes. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), as many as 17,818 fatalities were recorded in the United States in 2014 as a direct result of lane departure. A separate study of lane departure accidents conducted by The University of Maine has concluded that drivers aged 65 and over are three times more likely to be involved in a lane departure accident than younger drivers.

This is also an area where ADAS can help. Systems such as Lane Keep Assist mainly use cameras, sensors and radar systems to read the lines and help you keep the car centered. When the system detects that the car is swerving and about to leave the lane without using a turn signal, it can respond by vibrating the steering wheel, applying the brakes, emitting a warning sound or even putting the car back into its lane.

Some people aren’t crazy about ADAS because of how assertive it can be, but driver assistance technology could prevent 27 million accidents by 2050. However, when weather conditions are unfavorable – especially if it is nighttime, rainy, foggy or snowing – ADAS systems will struggle to maintain lane discipline. If we also take into account that older drivers are more likely to suffer from visual impairment, the risk of accidents increases.

Failure to use turn signals was also noted by the APA survey as the third most common mistake senior drivers are likely to make. Not using turn signals when changing lanes is not just a problem for older drivers; it’s one of the rudest things you can do while driving, and it’s universal. In fact, if FOX News Research shows that almost half of all drivers in the US do not use their turn signals or do not use them properly.

For older drivers, however, this can be a more serious problem, especially when you consider that crossing lanes, not using turn signals, and not checking blind spots are the three most common mistakes. A separate study published by Antin et al. (2020) also reported worrying figures about how often seniors use turn signals.

In particular, the study found that older drivers frequently failed to activate the turn signal: approximately 60% when changing lanes to the right and 59% when changing lanes to the left. One of the reasons why traffic functions at all is because rules make it predictable. Our brains are trained to associate lane changes with turn signals, and when someone doesn’t signal, it creates a disruption that can often lead to accidents.

A study published by Cicchino and McCartt (2015) US crashes searched using the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey. The survey found that the most common mistake among older drivers aged 70 or over was inadequate supervision (33% of participants). This suggests that older drivers were not careful enough or did not correctly perceive the movement and positioning of cars, pedestrians and traffic control devices.

Many of these accidents occurred while turning left at an intersection. According to a September 2010 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), left turns at intersections are responsible for 22.2% of all police-reported crashes, compared to just 1.2% for right turns. This makes left turns 18.5 times more dangerous, meaning errors of judgment when turning left carry a significantly higher risk: even Uber drivers will make fewer left turns to make drivers and passengers safer.

Moreover, The Washington Post reported that a UPS official estimated that approximately 90% of all turns made by UPS delivery trucks are to the right, as part of a deliberate strategy to avoid left turns for safety reasons. When all this is taken into account, it becomes clear that these driving errors pose significant dangers; risks to which older drivers appear to be disproportionately sensitive.

NHTSA reported that older drivers are less likely to drive aggressively or exceed the speed limit. But driving slower than the prevailing traffic or failing to accurately estimate the speed of oncoming traffic is a mistake they make more often. A separate study published by Prevention of traffic accidentswhich compared young drivers with older drivers also concluded that older drivers drive slower.

Although driving slower may seem safer, that is not always the case, especially when the general traffic flow is faster. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that in 2012 alone, “more than 1.7 million rear-end crashes occurred on our nation’s highways, resulting in more than 1,700 deaths and 500,000 injuries.”

This is often known as the ‘U-Curve’ theory – a road safety concept introduced by Solomon (1964) in the U.S. Federal Highway Administration Reportwhere both speeding and too slow drivers experience a higher accident rate. As mentioned earlier, smooth traffic depends on anticipation and predictability, and one driver traveling slower than the rest can lead to dangerous situations.