Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

1. Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections Richter, N.1,2, Koppel, S.1*, Charlton, J.L.1, Schlag, B.2, Newstead, S.V. 1, Langford, J.1, Di Stefano, M.3, MacDonald, W.3, Vlahodimitrakou, Z. 1,Mazer, B. 4, Gelinas, I. 4, Vrkljan, B. 5, Eliasz, K. 5 & Marshall, S. 6 1 Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University AUSTRALIA,  2 Technische Universitaet Dresden, GERMANY,  3 La Trobe University, AUSTRALIA,  4 McGill University, CANADA,  5 McMaster University, CANADA, 6 Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, CANADA.  2015 Australasian Road Safety Conference 14 – 16 October, Gold Coast, Australia

2. Background and Objective • Older drivers are overrepresented in intersection crashes (Ball et al., 1998; Hakamies-Blomqvist, 1994) • Observation errors as highest risk factor for intersection crashes (Braitman, Kirley, Ferguson, & Chaudhary, 2007; Cicchino & McCartt, 2015) • Aim: explore older drivers’ looking behaviour when turning at four-way or T-intersections during an on-road driving task http://www.nhtsa.gov/Driving+Safety/Older+Drivers Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

3. Method • Candrive/Ozcandrive study (Marshall et al., 2013) • Longitudinal (5 years), multi-center international research program • Aim: identifying solutions to promote older drivers’ safe mobility • electronic Driving Observation Schedule (eDOS) (Koppel et al., In press) • Conducted in participants own vehicle on roads familiar to and chosen by them, lasted about 20 minutes • 2nd Ozcandrive year • Observer and two cameras Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

4. Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

5. Method • Analysis of eDOS videos: • Rating of appropriateness • Type of intersection: • Signalised • Non-signalised • Coding of environmental factors • Weather • Traffic volume • Gender, age, scores in MoCA, neck rotation, visual acuity from Year 2 Candrive/Ozcandrive annual assessment Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

6. Results Descriptives 155 participants: • Mean age = 80.86 years (SD = 3.60 years) • 71.4 % male Total N of intersections: 981 54 % 46 % Nb. of intersections 58 % 58 % 42 % 42 % Nb. of intersections Nb. of intersections Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

7. Generalized Estimating Equation Model Results • 2 significant predictors: • Type of intersection (Exp(B) = 72.68; p < .001) • Less appropriate looking behaviour at signalised intersections • Traffic volume (Exp(B) = .47; p < .05) • Less appropriate looking behaviour when high traffic volume • 1 marginal significant predictor: • Turn direction (Exp(B) = 1.52; p = .057) • Trend to less appropriate looking behaviour when turning left Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

8. Discussion Type of intersection • Turns at signalised intersections perceived as low risk manoeuvers • Trust in traffic lights • Previous research: • Risk of red-light runners • Reason for 20 percent of all casualty crashes at large signalised intersections in Melbourne (Victoria Police, 2009) • Raise the drivers’ awareness for potential risks at signalised intersections ► Less appropriate looking Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

9. Discussion Traffic volume • Previous research: • older driver crashes more likely during complex driving manoeuvres • cognitive demands exceed cognitive abilities • cognitive overload • errors in the driving task (Eberhard, 2007) ► Less appropriate looking (Hamed, Easa, & Batayneh, 1997; Polus, Lazar, & Livneh, 2003) Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

10. Limitations and research prospects • Ozcandrive participants: • healthy older drivers • commitment to participate in a five year study • eDOS driving behaviour: • observation • Coding process: • Head movements as a proxy for looking behaviour • No eye movements • No control group  Do other age groups look appropriately at signalised intersections? Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

11. Conclusion • Raise older drivers’ awareness of risks at signalised intersections • No influence of personal factors on the appropriateness of looking behaviour Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

12. Acknowledgements - The Candrive project is funded by a Team Grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute - Ozcandrive is funded by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (LP 100100078) to Monash University in partnership with La Trobe University, VicRoads, Victorian Government Department of Justice and Victoria Police, the Transport Accident Commission, Road Safety Trust New Zealand & Eastern Health - We thank Candrive/Ozcandrive teams & the older driver participants, without whose valuable input and commitment, this research would not be possible Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

13. Questions? Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections

14. Thank you for your attention! Predictors of older drivers' looking behaviour when negotiating intersections