Performance on the flanker task predicts driving cessation in older adults

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Transportation Safety

Background:

• Older drivers represent a growing demographic, raising concerns about driving cessation and safety.
• Cognitive function is crucial for safe driving, but predicting cessation remains challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the predictive validity of flanker tasks in identifying driving cessation among older drivers.
• To compare the predictive power of flanker tasks against other cognitive assessments.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 2805 drivers aged 65+ underwent baseline assessments of physical, psychological, and cognitive health.
• Driving status was reassessed 15 months after baseline measurements.
• Logistic regression models were used to analyze predictors of driving cessation.

Main Results:

• 1.7% of participants ceased driving within the 15-month follow-up period.
• Flanker task performance (total, congruent, incongruent conditions) significantly predicted driving cessation.
• Trail-making test, digit symbol substitution test, and story memory also predicted cessation, but flanker task was more impactful.

Conclusions:

• The flanker task demonstrates superior predictive validity for driving cessation in older adults compared to broader cognitive measures.
• Flanker task performance is a key indicator for identifying older adults at risk of ceasing driving.