Although it is known that older drivers limit their driving, it is not known whether this self-regulation is related to actual driving ability. A sample of 104 older drivers, aged between 60 and 92, completed a questionnaire about driving habits and attitudes. Ninety of these drivers also completed a structured on-road driving test.A measure of self-regulation was derived from drivers' self-reported avoidance of difficult driving situations. The on-road driving test involved a standard assessment used to determine fitness to drive. Of the 90 participants who completed the driving assessment, 68 passed the test, eight passed but were recommended to have driving lessons and 14 failed. Driving test scores for the study were based on the number of errors committed in the driving tests, with weightings given according to the seriousness of the errors.The most commonly avoided difficult driving situations were parallel parking and driving at night in the rain, while the least avoided situation was driving alone. Poorer performance on the driving test was not strongly related to overall avoidance of difficult driving situations. Stronger relationships were found between driving ability and avoidance of specific difficult driving situations. These specific driving situations were the ones in which the drivers had low confidence and that the drivers were most able to avoid if they wished to. These results may reflect a tendency for those with poorer driving ability to lose confidence in their driving, and begin to avoid difficult driving situations. However, there are a number of situations that drivers find difficult to avoid.

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Main author telephone: +61 8 8303 5887, fax +61 8 8232 4995A sample of 90 adults aged between 60 and 91 completed a questionnaire about their driving behaviour, a battery of functional tests, and a structured on-road test. The section of the questionnaire featuring items about avoidance of difficult driving situations was used as an index of self-regulation of driving behaviour. The functional test battery consisted of mood, vision, physical functioning and neuropsychological tests. The on-road test used in the study was a standard assessment procedure developed by the Driver Assessment Rehabilitation Service to determine fitness to drive. Of the 90 participants in the study, 68 passed the driving test, 8 passed but were recommended to have lessons and 14 failed the test. Driving test scores for the study were based on the number of errors committed in the driving tests, with weightings given according to the seriousness of the errors. In order to identify risk factors for inadequate driver self-regulation, comparisons were made between the functional tests most strongly related to driving performance and the functional tests most strongly related to self-regulation. It was concluded that self-regulation of driving behaviour is inadequate among older drivers with poor contrast sensitivity, poor speed of information processing and poor visuospatial ability.

The positive exponential relationship between speed limit and fatal crash rate is consistent with prior research into speed and crash risk. The results indicate that speed zones of 100 km/h or more only meet the objectives of the Safe System, with regard to fatal crashes, where all crash types except rear-end crashes are exceedingly rare, such as on a high standard restricted access highway with a safe roadside design.

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The aim of this study was to determine the functional deficits that predict particular types of driving difficulties among older drivers. A sample of 90 drivers 60 years and older completed a battery of functional (psychological, visual, physical, cognitive, and attentional) tests and a standardized on-road driving test. Driving errors were classified into a set of 7 distinct categories (positioning, gap selection, incorrect speed, observation, speed of approach, mirror, and indicator), and correlation and regression analyses were used to determine the best functional predictors of specific error types. As expected, functional deficits were more strongly related to some error types (eg, positioning errors) than others (eg, failure to indicate). Measures of visual attention were associated with a broad range of error types, and particularly, with errors prompting an intervention from the driving instructor, suggesting that a deficit in visual attention is a key indicator of the likelihood of driving problems. Errors in speed of approach to intersections or before undertaking driving maneuvers appear to be related to problems with vision.

Motor-vehicle collisions are the leading cause of unintentional injury and death in children in many parts of the world, including Europe, North America and Australia. The number of fatal collisions has decreased considerably in countries where safety measures such as child restraints, seat belts and air bags have been introduced, providing protection for children within vehicles, although it is recognised that there have been concomitant improvements in emergency responses and techniques, and in hospital treatments. Helmets and changes in external vehicle designs have been implemented to protect paediatric pedestrians and cyclists. However, despite the development of safety guidelines and technologies, injuries still occur. This paper provides an overview of the role of motor-vehicle collisions in paediatric morbidity and mortality to analyse the nature and aetiology of common fatal and non-fatal injuries in children that may present for forensic assessment as passengers, pedestrians or cyclists.

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