Understanding bias in older drivers' self-reported driving styles using naturalistic driving data

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Transportation Safety
• Psychology

Background:

• Accurate self-assessment of driving performance is crucial for older adults' safety and mobility.
• Discrepancies between perceived and actual driving performance can lead to unsafe driving or premature cessation of driving.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the consistency between self-rated driving styles and objectively measured driving performance in older drivers.
• To identify older drivers who overestimate or underestimate their driving abilities.
• To explore factors associated with inaccurate self-assessments of driving performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized naturalistic driving data from 58 older drivers (aged 65+).
• Calculated harsh event rates as an objective measure of risky driving behavior.
• Assessed self-reported driving styles using the Driving Style Questionnaire and employed machine learning to identify over/under-estimators.
• Used logistic regression to analyze associations with age, gender, driving confidence, and personality traits.

Main Results:

• Found weak correlations between self-reported and objectively measured driving behaviors.
• Self-confidence and personality traits significantly predicted inaccurate self-assessments.
• Over-estimators reported higher confidence; under-estimators reported lower confidence.
• Impulsivity and sensation seeking were linked to overestimation, while older age increased overestimation likelihood.

Conclusions:

• Self-report data alone is insufficient for assessing older drivers' performance.
• The anxious driving style score may help identify drivers with inaccurate self-perceptions.
• Findings can inform interventions to enhance road safety and mobility for older adults.