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Identifying compensatory driving behavior among older adults using the situational avoidance questionnaire
Jessica J Davis1, Elizabeth G Conlon1
1School of Applied Psychology, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Australia.
Journal of Safety Research
|December 6, 2017
Summary
The Situational Avoidance Questionnaire (SAQ) accurately identifies older drivers who restrict their driving due to compensatory reasons. This validated tool helps distinguish between drivers managing age-related changes and those avoiding situations for other motives.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Transportation Safety
- Psychology
Background:
- Driving self-regulation, including situational avoidance, helps older drivers manage perceived declines in skill or discomfort.
- Situational avoidance involves purposefully avoiding challenging or hazardous driving situations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the Situational Avoidance Questionnaire (SAQ).
- To identify a threshold on the SAQ distinguishing compensatory avoidance from non-compensatory avoidance in older drivers.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-nine Australian drivers (aged 55-86) completed the SAQ.
- Drivers were classified as compensatory-restricted or non-restricted via semi-structured interviews.
- Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the SAQ's diagnostic accuracy.
Main Results:
- The SAQ demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy (85% sensitivity, 82% specificity).
- Compensatory-restricted drivers showed slower hazard perception reaction times and reported more driving difficulty and discomfort.
- These drivers also reported greater cognitive changes over the past five years.
Conclusions:
- The SAQ is a psychometrically sound measure for assessing situational avoidance in older drivers.
- Validated measures like the SAQ are crucial for understanding driving self-regulation and its safety implications.
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