Entering and Exiting the Vehicle: Day-to-Day Activity, or High-Risk Endeavor Among Older Adults

A primary concern of many older adults as they age is whether they will be able to remain in the community setting. This is impacted by their ability to commute to their surroundings as needed to attend occupational-, leisure-, or health care-related appointments in the community setting. Whether an older adult is able to independently drive or relies on rides from others, the first step to safe community transportation is boarding into and alighting out of a vehicle. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of boarding and alighting injuries across age demographics and describe demographic factors that may impact the prevalence of injury.

This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis. National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP) data from 2017 to 2021 was analyzed through descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression.

Findings indicate that the annualized estimate of injury is 209,797 across age groups. Older adults were found to have a higher rate of injury and hospitalization following injury.

This study replicates earlier reporting on non-crash vehicle injuries occurring during boarding and alighting from 2001 to 2003. Continued research is needed to investigate methods of boarding and alighting injury risk reduction for vulnerable populations.