Perceived Risk of Loss of Driving & Alternative Mobility Planning

Raue, Martina; Coughlin, Joseph F. · 2019 · ROSA P / New England University Transportation Center

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Summary

This study investigates how adults perceive the risk of losing their driving ability and how they plan for alternative mobility in older age. The research is motivated by the fact that driving is the primary mode of transportation for most U.S. adults, and losing this ability poses significant threats to independence, particularly in low-density areas. The authors hypothesize that individuals underestimate the likelihood and negative consequences of driving cessation, such as social isolation, depression, and financial strain, leading to insufficient planning for alternative transportation options. The researchers conducted a nationwide online survey to assess subjective risk perceptions, attitudes toward driving cessation, and preferences for alternative mobility. This report presents pretest data from 53 participants aged 23 to 81 (mean age 53.79), recruited from a nationally representative sample. Participants completed measures regarding their current and future mobility satisfaction, expectations for their primary transportation mode in ten years, and specific concerns about giving up driving. They also rated their willingness to engage in challenging driving situations and identified factors that would compel them to stop driving, such as health incidents or feeling insecure. The results indicate that while 90% of participants rely on driving as their primary transportation mode, only 63.5% expressed worry about losing this ability. Most participants (80%) expected to continue driving as their primary mode in ten years, with only 4.4% anticipating the use of self-driving vehicles. Participants primarily viewed driving cessation as an inconvenience rather than a severe life change; they were most concerned about dependence on others, increased travel time, and fewer spontaneous trips, while showing less concern for social isolation or financial costs. Regarding triggers for cessation, 86.5% cited posing a risk to others and 78.8% cited feeling insecure as primary reasons, whereas only 40.4% cited major accidents. Notably, older participants perceived lower risk in drivers over 75 and believed people should drive longer, suggesting that risk perception shifts with age. The study concludes that individuals significantly underestimate the compound risks associated with losing driving privileges, including health declines and social isolation. Because people often rely on subjective feelings of insecurity rather than objective health data to decide when to stop driving, the cessation process may be delayed or unplanned. The authors recommend that medical providers and license renewal staff take a leading role in educating drivers about these risks to encourage earlier planning. They also suggest improving the convenience and attractiveness of public transportation and ride-sharing services to mitigate the negative impacts of driving cessation.

Key finding

Participants underestimated the personal risk of losing driving ability and the associated negative consequences, such as social isolation and financial costs, while expecting to drive well into old age.

Methodology

survey

Sample size: 53

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• older drivers
• acceptance adoption