PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the current work was to investigate the relationship between avoidance of specific driving situations and on-road driving skills in older drivers considering factors found to be related to both avoidance behavior and driving skills.; METHOD: Seventy-two older drivers (M = 76 years) from the general population were included in this study. Self-reported avoidance behavior, driving practice, perceived driving difficulties, driving-related cognitive functions, as well as medical conditions were assessed within two sessions. Standardized on-road assessments served for assessing on-road driving skills in a third session.; RESULTS: Self-reported avoidance behavior was associated with reduced driving skills (r = -0.41), and this relationship remained significant beyond the influence of cognitive skills, self-reported health, driving practice, and perceived driving difficulties. Specifically, avoidance of driving in bad weather, poor visibility and complicated parking was found to be associated with reduced driving skills.; DISCUSSION: This study suggest that avoidance behavior is an independent indicator of impaired driving skills in older drivers. Our results argue against the assumption that avoidance behavior may be a reasonable strategy for safe traffic participation. Longitudinal studies are urgently needed to get more evidence on safety aspects of avoidance behavior. © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.