Vision screening of older drivers for preventing road traffic injuries and fatalities

• Published in: Cochrane database of systematic reviews 2014-02, Vol.2014 (2), p.CD006252
• Main Authors: Desapriya, Ediriweera, Harjee, Rahana, Brubacher, Jeffrey, Chan, Herbert, Hewapathirane, D Sesath, Subzwari, Sayed, Pike, Ian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic - prevention & control; Aged; Automobile Driving; Health & safety at work; Humans; Occupational health outcome; Orthopaedics & trauma; Prevention of road traffic injuries; Public health; Vision Screening
• ISSN: 1469-493X; 1469-493X
• DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006252.pub4

Demographic data in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand suggest a rapid growth in the number of persons over the age of 65 years as the baby boomer generation passes retirement age. As older adults make up an increasing proportion of the population, they are an important consideration when designing future evidence-based traffic safety policies, particularly those that lead to restrictions or cessation of driving. Research has shown that cessation of driving among older drivers can lead to negative emotional consequences such as depression and loss of independence. Older adults who continue to drive tend to do so less frequently than other demographic groups and are more likely to be involved in a road traffic crash, possibly due to what is termed the "low mileage bias". Available research suggests that older driver crash risk estimates based on traditional exposure measures are prone to bias. When annual driving distances are taken in to consideration, older drivers with low driving distances have an increased crash risk, while those with average or high driving distances tend to be safer drivers when compared to other age groups. In addition, older drivers with lower distance driving tend to drive in urban areas which, due to more complex and demanding traffic patterns, tend to be more accident-prone. Failure to control for actual annual driving distances and driving locations among older drivers is referred to as "low mileage bias" in older driver mobility research. It is also important to note that older drivers are more vulnerable to serious injury and death in the event of a traffic crash due to changes in physiology associated with normal ageing. Vision, cognition, and motor functions or skills (e.g., strength, co-ordination, and flexibility) are three key domains required for safe driving. To drive safely, an individual needs to be able to see road signs, road side objects, traffic lights, roadway markings, other vulnerable road users, and other vehicles on the road, among many other cues-all while moving, and under varying light and weather conditions. It is equally important that drivers must have appropriate peripheral vision to monitor objects and movement to identify possible threats in the driving environment. It is, therefore, not surprising that there is agreement among researchers that vision plays a significant role in driving performance. Several age-related processes/conditions impair vision, thus it follows that visi