Intersection Negotiation Problems of Older Drivers. Volume 2, Background Synthesis on Age and Intersection Driving Difficulties

Staplin, L. K.; Lococo, K. (Kathy); McKnight, A. James; McKnight, A. Scott; Odenheimer, Germaine L. · 1998 · ROSA P / United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This paper, Volume II of a two-part report sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, addresses the intersection negotiation problems faced by older drivers. The primary research objective was to identify and prioritize age-related decrements in functional capabilities that contribute to increased crash risk at intersections. The study was motivated by the need to link empirical evidence of aging-related sensory, cognitive, and physical declines to specific unsafe driving behaviors and subsequent crash involvement. A conceptual framework was developed to hypothesize that age-related functional deficits mediate crash risk through observable unsafe behaviors, such as missed detections or violations of traffic control devices. The methodology involved a comprehensive background literature synthesis and expert consultations, supplemented by data from a concurrent observational field study (detailed in Volume I). The field study component involved 82 subjects aged 61 and older, referred to the California Department of Motor Vehicles for special testing. Participants completed a functional test battery assessing vision, attention, and head/neck flexibility, followed by on-road testing on both familiar and unfamiliar routes. A miniature, multiple-camera apparatus installed in the drivers’ own vehicles recorded visual search behaviors, brake and accelerator use, and traffic events. Additionally, the report includes a task analysis that examined critical driving demands for various intersection types, assigning relative error and crash likelihood ratings based on mismatches between situational demands and diminished driver capabilities. The findings revealed a high incidence of visual search errors among older drivers, including failures to look to the sides when traveling through intersections on green lights. While many observed behaviors were technical errors that rarely required emergency responses, the highest error rate for actual maneuvers was making lane changes with unsafe gaps. This issue was exacerbated on unfamiliar routes where drivers lacked expectations of upcoming turns. Errors recorded by DMV examiners mirrored the video-based findings, with scanning errors predominating over maneuver errors. Common examiner-observed errors included failure to stop completely at stop signs, stopping over stop bars, improper turning paths, and stopping for no reason. Regression analyses indicated that the speed of response on visual discrimination tasks was the best predictor of driving errors, though no single measure accounted for more than 18% of the variance in examiners’ error scores. The literature synthesis further identified that age-related declines in spatial vision, useful field of view, selective attention, and working memory significantly compromise intersection negotiation, particularly in complex or unfamiliar environments. The significance of this work lies in its prioritization of older drivers’ intersection problems based on likelihood and safety consequences. By linking specific functional deficits—such as reduced contrast sensitivity, slowed accommodation, and diminished cognitive processing—to specific unsafe behaviors, the report provides a basis for improved screening and assessment protocols. The findings suggest that older drivers are disproportionately at risk in intersections requiring rapid conflict avoidance and complex navigational cues, highlighting the need for interventions that address these specific functional mismatches to enhance traffic safety.

Key finding

Age-related declines in sensory, cognitive, and physical functional capabilities mediate unsafe driving behaviors at intersections, leading to increased crash risk.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Topics

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• age related perceptual decline
• older drivers
• pedal misapplication
• looked but failed to see
• rail grade crossings
• older driver retraining

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data