OLDER DRIVER ERRORS ON VICROADS ?REVIEW? TESTS

This study was conducted to obtain information about older driver errors, using information recorded during licence review tests of drivers reported to VicRoads as possibly unsafe. This information was required for use in improving the current form of on-road test used by occupational therapists to assess drivers with various functional impairments. Data were extracted from VicRoads files for a 12 month period; 533 road test cases were analysed; average driver age was 76.1 years. Performance scores were derived for intersection negotiation, lane changing, low speed manoeuvres, positioning & speed control, safety margin and car control. Some errors required the Licence Testing Officer (LTO) to intervene, and details of these errors were recorded separately in terms of type of error, driving manoeuvre attempted and driving context. It was found that test outcome (pass/fail) was primarily determined by whether or not the LTO intervened. Separate logistic regression analysis with driver performance scores (from observations recorded throughout the test) and driver age correctly predicted 94% of test outcomes. The strongest predictors were intersection score (% negotiated satisfactorily), position on road score (% of observations satisfactory), and safety margin score (% of observations satisfactory). Results were consistent with other research on older driver performance and crash involvement. Some implications for on-road testing are noted.