The Drive-wise Project: Driving Simulator Training Increases Real Driving Performance in Healthy Older Drivers

Overview

Journal Front Aging Neurosci

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2014 May 27

PMID 24860497

Citations 26

Authors

Gianclaudio Casutt

Nathan Theill

Mike Martin

Martin Keller

Lutz Jancke

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Age-related cognitive decline is often associated with unsafe driving behavior. We hypothesized that 10 active training sessions in a driving simulator increase cognitive and on-road driving performance. In addition, driving simulator training should outperform cognitive training.

Methods: Ninety-one healthy active drivers (62-87 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a driving simulator training group, (2) an attention training group (vigilance and selective attention), or (3) a control group. The main outcome variables were on-road driving and cognitive performance. Seventy-seven participants (85%) completed the training and were included in the analyses. Training gains were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis with planned orthogonal comparisons.

Results: The driving simulator-training group showed an improvement in on-road driving performance compared to the attention-training group. In addition, both training groups increased cognitive performance compared to the control group.

Conclusion: Driving simulator training offers the potential to enhance driving skills in older drivers. Compared to the attention training, the simulator training seems to be a more powerful program for increasing older drivers' safety on the road.

Citing Articles

On the Road Safety: Gender Differences in Risk-Taking Driving Behaviors Among Seniors Aged 65 and Older.

Cordellieri P, Piccardi L, Giancola M, Giannini A, Nori R Geriatrics (Basel). 2024; 9(5).

PMID: 39451868 PMC: 11507166. DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics9050136.

Toward Safe and Confident Silver Drivers: Interview Study Investigating Older Adults' Driving Practices.

Kim S, Sivangula P JMIR Aging. 2024; 7:e57402.

PMID: 39133531 PMC: 11347888. DOI: 10.2196/57402.

Cognitive Performance in Adults' Daily Lives: Is There a Lab-Life Gap?.

Bielak A, Hatt C, Diehl M Res Hum Dev. 2023; 14(3):219-233.

PMID: 37771386 PMC: 10538579. DOI: 10.1080/15427609.2017.1340050.

Neuro-safety science: an emerging discipline to reveal the neural mechanisms of safety problems.

Zhang S, Ye S, Huang Y, Shi X Front Neurosci. 2023; 17:1190995.

PMID: 37638312 PMC: 10450626. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1190995.

A Case Study on Vestibular Sensations in Driving Simulators.

Riera J, Casas S, Alonso F, Fernandez M Sensors (Basel). 2022; 22(15).

PMID: 35957391 PMC: 9371164. DOI: 10.3390/s22155837.

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