Association of the Digital Trail Making Peg test with traffic crash and near‐miss traffic crash experiences among Japanese community‐dwelling older drivers

Aim The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the Digital Trail Making Peg test (DTMP), a dual task, and traffic crash and near‐miss traffic crash experiences; the latter may be precursors to traffic crashes among older drivers. Methods The analysis included 505 older drivers (74.3 ± 5.0 years, 49.0% female) who participated in the “Kasama Health Checkup for Longevity” held from 2019 to 2021. The DTMP measured completion time from start to finish. Participants' traffic crash and near‐miss traffic crash experiences were assessed through a self‐reported questionnaire.c A modified Poisson regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the DTMP and traffic crash and near‐miss traffic crash experiences. The prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated for each 10‐s delay in the DTMP. Results The results revealed that the DTMP was not significantly associated in the analysis with the traffic crash experience as the dependent variable. However, its association with the near‐miss traffic crash experience as the dependent variable showed a significant positive association, with a PR of 1.14 (95% CI: 1.00–1.29) for the DTMP (per 10 s). Conclusions The risk of near‐miss traffic crash experience was higher for those who took longer to complete the DTMP. Future studies of the validity of driving ability using the DTMP, driving simulators, and road assessments, as well as longitudinal studies of the current research, are expected to help prevent traffic crashes and near‐miss traffic crashes among older drivers. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; 25: 946–951 .