A comparison of drivers' braking responses across ages

Abstract

As driving is associated with independence, it is important for occupational therapists to understand what skills are required to drive safely and how to assess them in order to keep older drivers driving independently as long as possible. This study examined the reaction times and braking forces of younger and older adults in both simple and complex reaction situations. Results showed that all participants had an increase in reaction time with increased complexity of the situation. Although previous research has shown that reaction times slow with age, our results did not demonstrate statistically significant differences between the braking reactions of younger and older drivers. However, this study's results show that, the time difference between a brake reaction in a simple situation and one in a complex situation increases significantly with age (z = 2.364, p = 0.024). Additionally, younger and older drivers were able to consistently demonstrate application of sufficient force (e.g., 30 pounds) to control brake pedals. These findings support the concept that age related changes may influence the ability to process and react to complex stimuli.