Aging Driver Safety

Before getting behind the wheel of Clemson's driving simulator, those participating in the research receive a full medical exam. Then they are observed performing daily tasks: making a bed, washing dishes, climbing stairs, taking a stroll and more. "We must understand how to work with the whole person to correct deficit," said Logan.


Without being forced to wash dishes, I was allowed a turn in the driving simulator. The simulator employs the driver's compartment of an actual automobile. Closing a real car door and sliding behind a real wheel eases the transition into the virtual world. The "car" is surrounded more than 270 degrees by screens that display simulated driving environments. Push on the brake, turn on the key, select Drive, and reality is suspended. At first, I spent a bit too much time trying to figure out where I was: Utah? Oregon? But soon I was focused on driving just as if I was in a real car.


The simulator can be programmed to display almost any driving situation—rural two-lanes, rainy city streets, nighttime suburban freeways. It presents real world, everyday challenges completely unlike those found in chase-and-crash computer games. For this research, it’s more important to see if a senior can maintain a constant speed, adjust to changing speed limits and notice stop signs than it is to win a faux race or elude computer-generated cops. There are moderate challenges: I encountered tailgaters, pedestrians, a dog dashing across the road and changing traffic lights. But none were emergencies or required evasive driving.


When the research is complete, the result will be a detailed program that can offer specific recommendations on how the senior can continue to drive safely.


"The answer could be something as simple as providing a booster seat and pedal extensions for an older woman who is having trouble seeing over the steering wheel," said Brooks. "It could require determining if the person's combination of medications is causing problems then getting their physicians to meet and change prescriptions." Another simple solution: Changing eyeglasses. Often seniors are lax about updating their prescriptions and blended-style bi- or tri-focals may not provide a field of vision adequate for driving.


Brooks, who holds a doctorate in psychology, says observations during the research indicate that age alone has little to do with driving skill or safety. "Some 90-year olds drive better than some 60-year olds," she said. Indeed, at 70 Paul Newman co-drove to a class win in the '95 24 Hours of Daytona. At 72, James Hylton nearly qualified for the '07 NASCAR Daytona 500.


Another benefit of the research: The information gained can help engineers develop auto-safety devices specifically designed to aid seniors. This is made more significant by Clemson's International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR), which is attracting a number of corporations to locate R&D departments on its campus in Greenville, S.C.