Determinants of Driving Avoidance and Intention of Driving Cessation in Older Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify psychological determinants of driving avoidance and intention of driving cessation in older adults using the Health Belief Model.　One hundred and fifty five male drivers aged 70-79 years residing in suburbs of Tokyo completed questionnaires, the Useful Field of View^® test and Mini-Mental State Examination.　Driving avoidance was predicted by several factors : 1） perceived susceptibility to crash involvement, 2） perceived benefits of self-regulatory driving, and 3） perceived barriers of self-regulatory driving.　We also found that intention of driving cessation was predicted by perceived susceptibility to crash involvement.　Perceived severity of crash involvement was not associated with either driving avoidance or intention of driving cessation.　Self-rated driving ability was negatively associated with perceived susceptibility to crash involvement and was not correlated with functional performance.　We suggest that interventions dealing with both the advantages and disadvantages of self-regulatory driving will be most efficacious in promoting driving avoidance.　However, interventions that focus only on susceptibility to crash involvement may increase premature driving cessation.　Our findings may inform effective interventions for older drivers to delay premature driving cessation and promote adaptive driving avoidance.