WATCH: A cross Canada study on seniors and driving is drawing some surprising conclusions. Among other things, it addresses the idea of de-graduated licensing. Christina Stevens reports.
The Candrive study, due to wrap up within a year, evaluates how medical conditions, cognitive abilities and driving habits correspond with the number of crashes a driver causes.
The goal of the study is to make roads safer, and keep safe seniors on the road longer.
87-year-old Ron Smithson is one of nearly 1000 seniors taking part in the multi-year study which launched in 2008.
It’s been seven decades since he first got behind the wheel. He has fond memories of cars. Smithson proposed to his wife in his first car, a 1940 Plymouth.
Now driving helps keep him going strong.
“I want to keep active and to be active you need a car,” said Smithson.
Taking part in the study has meant his health has been scrutinized, and his driving analysed. Researchers loaded up his car with GoPros and a GPA to track his every move.
Researchers are looking at ways to effectively determine when someone should still be driving.
Until extra testing begins at 80 years old, in Ontario it is up to health professionals to decide whether someone should be driving, and inform the ministry. However, it is fairly subjective.
“We are looking to develop a tool that physicians and other health care professionals can use to help make that decision,” said one of the lead researchers, Brenda Vrkljan, an associate professor at McMaster University.
“The vast majority of older drivers are absolutely safe. The key thing is how does health affect driving,” added Shawn Marshall, a University of Ottawa Professor.
They are also looking at alternative ideas, like de graduated licenses. They found some seniors choose to stop driving when and where they don’t feel safe, like on the highway or at night. But self regulations doesn’t always work.
“Unfortunately, if we start to experience some of those medial changes we might not have the insight to be able to make those good decisions,” said Vrkljan.
There have been some surprising results with crash rates. They found that seniors who drive less (below 5000 km a year) had 21.6 crashes per million kilometres, compared to just 8.3 crashes for those who drive a lot (over 15 thousand km a year)
And they also found some problems weren’t linked to health, but bad habits, pointing to the need for more training. Smithson agrees, saying he makes sure to do things like come to a complete stop at a stop sign.
“I just try to drive safe.”
Comments