Physical and cognitive functions affecting road traffic injuries among senior drivers

The size of elderly populations is growing in most areas of the world. The Thai Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan revealed an increase in the elderly, while numbers of younger, working-age adults decreased. Thailand has become an aging society since 2015, which is significant in that senior adults have a higher risk of involvement in motor vehicle accidents and are more susceptible to injuries and fatalities. This study investigated the role of physical and cognitive function with regard to road traffic injury in senior drivers.

A community survey was carried out among people aged 60 years and older in the villages representing four regions of Thailand. Face-to-face interviews and anthropometric measurements were used to gather data including individual characteristics, medical history, risk behaviors, cognitive function and traffic injury within the last 12 months. Associations between risk factors and injury were assessed by the chi-square tests, and comparison of the cognitive function score between the injury and non-injury groups was identified using the independent t-test.

A total of 314 completed questionnaires were used for analysis. Ten percent of respondents had experienced a road traffic injury in the last 12 months. Analysis revealed that level of cognitive function, smoking behavior and been diagnosed with arthritis were associated with road traffic injury incidence in senior drivers (p-value < 0.05).

Results revealed the potential need for strategies to increase road traffic safety in senior drivers. Special protection should be prioritized for the elderly with physical and cognitive impairment.