Personality, functional performance, and travel patterns related to older drivers’ risky driving behavior: A naturalistic driving study

Older drivers are among the most vulnerable demographics within the road traffic system. The rising number of elderly motorists has raised public concern regarding their driving safety. It is crucial to understand the factors influencing risky driving behaviors among older drivers to enhance their safety. This study aimed to analyze the personality, functional performance, and travel patterns related to older drivers’ risky driving behavior. The analysis utilized a sample of 58 older drivers, aged 65 years and above (mean age = 72.41 years; 40 males and 18 females) from the Nagoya metropolitan area. Risky driving behaviors and travel patterns were assessed using naturalistic driving data. Bivariate correlation analysis revealed that impulsivity and diminished contrast sensitivity were significantly correlated with more frequent risky driving behaviors. Additionally, both low driving exposure and high-risk driving routes (i.e., more frequent left and right turns, driving more on minor roads) were significantly correlated with an increased risk of harsh events. Moreover, a strong association was observed between driving exposure and driving route, indicating that the driving route of lower mileage drivers tend to be riskier. When the relationship between driving exposure and risky driving behaviors was adjusted for driving route, the strength of the correlation diminished from 0.35 to 0.16, rendering it insignificant. This partial correlation analysis suggests that the increased driving risk among low-mileage drivers can be partially attributed to their high-risk driving routes. The findings of this study provide further evidence regarding the role of personality in explaining older drivers’ risky driving behavior and the explanation of older drivers’ low-mileage bias.