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Is the useful field of view a good predictor of at‐fault crash risk in elderly J apanese drivers?
Author(s) -
Sakai Hiroyuki,
Uchiyama Yuji,
Takahara Miwa,
Doi Shun'ichi,
Kubota Fumiko,
Yoshimura Takayoshi,
Tachibana Atsumichi,
Kurahashi Tetsuo
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geriatrics and gerontology international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1447-0594
pISSN - 1444-1586
DOI - 10.1111/ggi.12328
Subject(s) - crash , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , injury prevention , medicine , occupational safety and health , suicide prevention , population , computer security , gerontology , engineering , environmental health , computer science , pathology , programming language
Aim Although age‐related decline in the useful field of view ( UFOV ) is well recognized as a risk factor for at‐fault crash involvement in elderly drivers, there is still room to study its applicability to elderly J apanese drivers. In the current study, we thus examined the relationship between UFOV and at‐fault crash history in an elderly J apanese population. We also explored whether potential factors that create awareness of reduced driving fitness could be a trigger for the self‐regulation of driving in elderly drivers. Methods We measured UFOV and at‐fault crash history from 151 community‐dwelling J apanese aged 60 years or older, and compared UFOV of at‐fault crash‐free and crash‐involved drivers. We also measured self‐evaluated driving style using a questionnaire. Results UFOV in crash‐involved drivers was significantly lower than that in crash‐free drivers. No significant difference was found in self‐evaluated driving style between crash‐free and crash‐involved drivers. In addition, there was no significant association between UFOV and self‐evaluated driving style. Conclusions The present study showed that UFOV is a good predictor of at‐fault crash risk in elderly J apanese drivers. Furthermore, our data imply that it might be difficult for elderly drivers to adopt appropriate driving strategies commensurate with their current driving competence. Geriatr G erontol I nt 2015; 15: 659–665.