Driver License Renewal Laws and Older Adults’ Daily Driving, United States, 2003–2017

Abstract

Objectives Around the world, aging populations pose significant concerns regarding their community mobility and transportation safety. Most previous studies in the United States have focused on the associations between driver license renewal laws and crash outcomes among older adults (65 years and older). Few studies have evaluated the impact of driver license renewal laws on older adults’ community mobility. This study aimed to identify the associations between driver license renewal laws and older males’ and females’ daily driving likelihood and duration. Method The 2003–2017 American Time Use Survey data were merged with driver license renewal legislation using ages 55–64 to control for effects of non-licensure factors (e.g., gasoline price). Weighted Poisson and linear regression models were used to estimate the associations of various driver licensure provisions with older males’ and females’ daily driving likelihood and duration. Results A shorter in-person renewal period and the presence of mandatory reporting laws for physicians were associated with a lower daily driving likelihood and shorter driving duration among females aged 75 years or older. The presence of mandatory reporting laws was also associated with reduced daily driving likelihood and duration for males aged 65–74 years. Discussion Policymakers should be aware that males and females may respond differently to older driver licensure laws, which may require distinct interventions to preserve their mobility. Future studies should consider the gender disparities when examining the association between driver licensure policies and older adults’ transportation safety and mobility.

The Associations Between Older Driver Licensure Laws with Travel and Passenger Behaviors Among Adults Aged 65 Years or Older (United States, 2003–2017)

“…The reduction in the in-person renewal period was not associated with overall traveling and passenger likelihoods for men aged 65 years or older and women aged 75 years or older. Shen, Ratnapradipa [ 21 ] also found that a shorter in-person renewal period was not associated with older adults’ daily driving likelihood. Thus, in-person renewal period may have little effects on the older adults’ daily traveling, driving, and passenger behaviors.…”

“…It is possibly because older women who may fail to pass the knowledge test would also have concerns about their cognitive ability, resulting in voluntary reduction in overall mobility. However, Shen et al [ 21 ] have suggested that knowledge test was not associated with older adults’ driving exposure. Policymakers should be aware that the knowledge test may have minimal impact on older adults’ driving behavior, but it may influence older female adults’ daily traveling decisions.…”

“…A shorter in-person licensure renewal was found to be related to a lower fatality rate among the oldest older drivers (aged 85 years or older) [ 15 , 16 ]. Other previous studies have estimated the association between licensure laws and older adult driving exposure [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. The findings of those studies are mixed.…”

“…[ 17 ] suggested that vision and on-road tests for adults aged 70 years or older may reduce their licensure rate, while McGwin, et al [ 20 ] did not find evidence that vision test was a deterrent for adults 80 aged years or older to renew their license. Shen et al [ 21 ] has identified that mandatory reporting laws for physicians were associated with reduced driving exposure for men 64–75 years and women 75 years or older. However, those studies only evaluated the direct impacts of licensure law provisions on older adults’ daily driving exposure and did not consider the indirect impacts of licensure laws on older adults’ non-driving activities.…”

“…More importantly, very few studies have investigated if the licensure law provision may have different impacts on male and female daily mobility. Previous studies have identified that older women are more likely to stop driving than older men [ 22 , 23 ], and the effects of different licensure laws may vary between men and women on their decision to stop driving [ 21 ]. Thus, the objectives of our study were to characterize the relationships between various driver licensure law provisions and older adults’ daily overall traveling and passenger likelihoods and identify the potential gender disparities in responding to those licensure law provisions.…”