Preparing for driving cessation: more thought than action

Driving cessation is a difficult topic that many older drivers avoid, however being prepared for transport dependence may mitigate the negative outcomes associated with driving cessation. In a population based survey 1181 older drivers reported their level of contemplation and planning for driving cessation. Socio-demographic, health characteristics, and transport use were compared between those who had given driving cessation no thought (pre-contemplators), thought about it (contemplators) and made plans (active planners). Active planners were a small minority, were older, and reported poorer health than the other groups. 46% had not thought about driving cessation at all.