The impact of urban vs rural environments on driving mobility and safety in older age

IF 3.5 2区工程技术 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, APPLIED

Transportation Research Part F-Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Pub Date : 2025-07-07 DOI:10.1016/j.trf.2025.07.005

Sol Morrissey , Stephen Jeffs , Rachel Gillings , Mizanur Khondoker , Mary Fisher-Morris , Ed Manley , Michael Hornberger

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Older rural drivers rely more on driving due to limited transportation options, but the impact of cognition on driving in urban versus rural settings is unclear. This study examined whether cognitive changes affect driving mobility and road safety differently across these populations. In a prospective cohort study, 969 older drivers completed driving behaviour and road traffic incident (RTI) history questionnaires, followed by cognitive testing, with a follow-up one year later. We find that older rural drivers have a greater driving mobility than older urban drivers and are less likely to reduce their driving mobility over time, as only urban residents with cognitive decline reduced their driving space. RTI incidence was higher in urban areas, with a stronger link between poor cognition and increased RTI risk in urban residents. This study suggests the interaction between cognitive changes and environmental setting on driving behaviour, providing insights for policy development on driving mobility and safety among older adults.

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城乡环境对老年人驾驶机动性和安全性的影响

由于交通选择有限，老年农村司机更依赖于开车，但认知对城市和农村驾驶环境的影响尚不清楚。这项研究调查了认知变化对驾驶机动性和道路安全的影响是否在这些人群中有所不同。在一项前瞻性队列研究中，969名老年司机完成了驾驶行为和道路交通事故（RTI）历史问卷调查，随后进行了认知测试，并在一年后进行了随访。我们发现，老年农村司机比老年城市司机有更大的驾驶机动性，并且随着时间的推移，他们不太可能减少驾驶机动性，因为只有认知能力下降的城市居民才会减少他们的驾驶空间。城市地区的RTI发病率较高，城市居民认知能力差与RTI风险增加之间存在更强的联系。该研究揭示了认知变化与环境环境对驾驶行为的相互作用，为老年人驾驶机动性和安全性的政策制定提供了见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Transportation Research Part F-Traffic Psychology and Behaviour Multiple-

CiteScore

7.60

自引率

14.60%

发文量

239

审稿时长

71 days

期刊介绍： Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour focuses on the behavioural and psychological aspects of traffic and transport. The aim of the journal is to enhance theory development, improve the quality of empirical studies and to stimulate the application of research findings in practice. TRF provides a focus and a means of communication for the considerable amount of research activities that are now being carried out in this field. The journal provides a forum for transportation researchers, psychologists, ergonomists, engineers and policy-makers with an interest in traffic and transport psychology.