The Effect of Longitudinal Changes in Driving-related Attitudes on Older Adults’ Driving Patterns
Author(s): Sukhawathanakul, Porter, Tuokko
Slidedeck Presentation Only (no paper submitted)
Abstract:
Psychological processes like attitudes and beliefs play important roles in fostering self-regulatory driving practices. However, extant work on the association between driving-related attitudes and driving practices has relied mainly on self-reported driving measures. The current study examines how longitudinal changes in driving-related attitudes co-occur with changes in older adults' driving patterns using objective global positioning system (GPS) data from the nationwide Canadian Driving Research Initiative for Vehicular Safety in the Elderly (Candrive) study (N = 928). All participants had an autonomous recording device installed in their primary vehicle to monitor their driving patterns while they were enrolled in the study. The device records data from the vehicle through the on-board diagnostic system as well as global positioning system (GPS) signals at 1 Hz. For each time point the location and vehicle speed are recorded. From this data trip distance and instantaneous acceleration can be calculated. Findings from multilevel analyses showed that individuals differences in attitudinal change were related to differences in short-term (26 weekly occasions within each year, May to October) and long-term (average change across 4 years) driving patterns. Older adults who declined more rapidly in their positive attitudes and increased more rapidly in their negative attitudes were more likely to regulate their driving compared to individuals who did not display changes in their driving-related attitudes. These findings highlight the impact that attitudes can have on driving self-regulatory practices in older adults. Using actual GPS data, these findings provide insights of differences in self-regulation which can inform interventions that keep older Canadians safe behind-the-wheel for as long as possible.