The Maze Test: A significant predictor of older driver crash risk

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention 2013-01, Vol.50, p.483-489
• Main Authors: Staplin, Loren, Gish, Kenneth W., Lococo, Kathy H., Joyce, John J., Sifrit, Kathy J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Assessments; Automobile Driving; Biological and medical sciences; Cognitive Dysfunction - diagnosis; Compensation; Crash predictor; Crash risk; Crashes; Device driver programs; Driver; Female; Geriatrics; Highways; Humans; Licenses; Male; Maryland; Medical sciences; Mild cognitive impairment; Miscellaneous; Neuropsychological Tests; Older; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevention and actions; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk; Safety; Task Performance and Analysis
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2012.05.025

► Significantly predicts the risk of crashes and serious moving violations by older drivers. ► Is validated using prospective driving history data with a representative sample. ► Appears possible to be reliably self-administered. A study sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration performed functional assessments on approximately 700 drivers age 70 and older who presented for license renewal in urban, suburban, and rural offices of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. This volunteer sample received a small compensation for study participation, with an assurance that their license status would not be affected by the results. A comparison with all older drivers who visited the same sites on the same days indicated that the study sample was representative of Maryland older drivers with respect to age and prior driving safety indices. Relationships between drivers’ scores on a computer touchscreen version of the Maze Test and prospective crash and serious moving violation experience were analyzed. Results identified specific mazes as highly significant predictors of future safety risk for older drivers, with a particular focus on non-intersection crashes. Study findings indicate that performance on Maze Tests was predictive of prospective crashes and may be useful, as a complement to other, established cognitive screening tools, in identifying at-risk older drivers.