Older drivers’ opinions of criteria that inform the cars they buy: A focus group study

Abstract

Safe driving in older adulthood depends not only on health and driving ability, but on the driving environment itself, including the type of vehicle. However, little is known about how safety figures into the older driver's vehicle selection criteria and how it ranks among other criteria, such as price and comfort. For this purpose, six focus groups of older male and female drivers (n=33) aged 70-87 were conducted in two Canadian cities to explore vehicle purchasing decisions and the contribution of safety in this decision. Themes emerged from the data in these categories: vehicle features that keep them feeling safe, advanced vehicular technologies, factors that influence their car buying decisions, and resources that inform this decision. Results indicate older drivers have gaps with respect to their knowledge of safety features and do not prioritize safety at the time of vehicle purchase. To maximize the awareness and uptake of safety innovations, older consumers would benefit from a vehicle design rating system that highlights safety as well as other features to help ensure that the vehicle purchased fits their lifestyle and needs.

Do Demographics and Functional Abilities Influence Vehicle Type Driven by Older Canadians?

“…Koppel, Clark, Hoareau, Charlton, and Newstead (2013) found that price was identified as most important (43%) among consumers aged 65 and older, yet half of those surveyed still ranked a safety-related feature (e.g., antilock brakes) in the top spot from a predefined list of features. This result is similar to findings from focus groups conducted with older drivers (aged 70 to 90) where participants emphasized the importance of certain safety features (i.e., seat belts, air bags, braking) but downplayed its impact on their vehicle purchase (Zhan et al, 2013). Most participants in the focus groups admitted they were unfamiliar with their car’s safety rating at the time of purchase.…”

“…In a survey of over a thousand older drivers (aged 60 to 79) in Great Britain, Herriotts ( 2005 ) found that vehicle entry (33%) and exit (27%) is the most signifi cant challenge in terms of vehicle design followed by visibility, particularly with regard to seeing out the rear window when reversing the vehicle. Problems with vehicle accessibility as well as visibility and adjustability have also been identifi ed in a series of focus group studies with older drivers (Shaw, Polgar, Vrkljan, & Jacobson, 2010 ;Vrkljan et al, 2010 ), including a more recent investigation that examined factors that infl uenced their vehicle purchase (Zhan, Porter, Polgar, & Vrkljan, 2013 ). Older drivers report that ingress and egress diffi culties are associated with declining strength and balance, as well as design of the vehicle itself such as the size of the door opening, low seats, raised sills, and the lack of handles to support safe entry and exit from their respective vehicle (Shaw et al, 2010 ).…”

“…Using baseline data from the Canadian Driving Research Initiative for Vehicular Safety in the Elderly (Candrive II), a multi-site, longitudinal project funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) tracking the health and driving patterns of drivers aged 70 and older, the primary purpose of the present study was to explore the influence of various driver characteristics on the type of vehicle driven. As part of the Candrive research team, a sub-project was undertaken involving focus groups that examined the older driver-vehicle design relationship (e.g., advanced vehicle technologies), with a specific focus on the car buying process (Zhan et al, 2013). Participants described how their mobility and other functional impairments influenced their vehicle purchase decisions.…”

The use of virtual reality and physical tools in the development and validation of ease of entry and exit in passenger vehicles

“…Previous research has shown that car designers and engineers need to pay particular attention to the ease of entry and exit for several reasons. This is firstly because vehicle entry is the initial interaction the customer has with the vehicle and is a key influence on purchasing decision (Causse et al, 2012;Tetlock, 1983;Zhan et al, 2013). Secondly, entry and exit requires attention due to the number of problems drivers have getting in and out of cars.…”

Using Simulation to Better Understand the Effects of Aging on Driver Visibility

“…Line-of-sight 1 to the external environment, which is sometimes referred to as driver visibility, has been identifi ed as a key area in which older drivers experience problems that can affect their operation of a motor vehicle (Charlton, Fildes, & Andrea, 2002 ;Eby & Molnar, 2012 ;Zhan, Porter, Polgar, & Vrkljan, 2013 ). A survey of older drivers indicated that most respondents (74%) attributed problems with line-ofsight to limitations in their neck mobility (Herriotts, 2005 ).…”