Transportation Expertise

Senior Mobility

UMTRI researchers study the safety and mobility of persons aged 65 and older. They are interested in both reducing the crash risk of older drivers and helping seniors maintain mobility once safe driving is no longer possible. Researchers develop and test theories of how driving changes relative to cognitive, perceptual, and psychomotor declines; evaluate technology for maintaining safe senior mobility; and develop and test screening and assessment tools for seniors.

Aging can cause declines in abilities needed for safe driving. An important component of older driver safety is the ability of seniors to self-assess psychological declines and adjust driving appropriately. UMTRI researchers have been active in the development and evaluation of self-screening tools to assist older drivers in making good decisions regarding safe mobility. One of these tools is the Driving Decisions Workbook. Other research includes surveys of older drivers, evaluation of a variety of instruments, on-road assessment of drivers, and focus groups.

The maintenance of safe and acceptable senior mobility requires the involvement of the seniors’ family. Researchers examine this complex social dynamic and develop processes to improve the communication between seniors and their families.

As our society ages, programs to help seniors maintain safe mobility are proliferating. UMTRI is at the forefront of developing criteria for effective programs, evaluating these programs, and communicating results through publications such as Promising Approaches for Enhancing Elderly Mobility.

Selected projects in this area:

Promising Approaches to Lifelong Community Mobility for Seniors
Sponsor: AARP
Investigator: David W. Eby
08/03/2006 - 04/30/2007

Fitness to Drive in Early Stage Dementia: An Instrumented Vehicle Study
Sponsor: Alzheimers Association
Investigator: David W. Eby
09/01/2006 - 08/31/2009