Age and Ageing, Vol 28, 59-66, Copyright © 1999 by British Geriatrics Society
WC Quillian, DJ Cox, BP Kovatchev and C Phillips
AIMS: To investigate whether, compared with middle-aged men (aged 30- 50),
older men (age > or =60) (i) perform more poorly on a driving simulator
and (ii) are more sensitive to the effects of ethanol in terms of blood
alcohol concentration (BAC) and driving performance, but more aware of
their driving difficulties, and therefore exercise better driving
judgement. METHODS: 14 Healthy middle-aged men (mean age 36 years) were
compared with 14 healthy older men (mean age 69 years) on an interactive
driving simulator, while sober and while legally intoxicated (BAC >80
mg/dl). RESULTS: Older age was associated with poorer driving performance
on the simulator. While sober, older men exhibited more improper braking,
slower driving, greater speed variability, fewer appropriate full stops and
more crashes, and spent more time executing left turns (across oncoming
traffic); all values < or =0.02. BACs > or =80 mg/dl were associated
with impaired driving, with more inappropriate braking, fewer appropriate
full stops and more time executing left turns (all values > or =0.02)
and trends towards more speed variability, more low speed collisions and
more wrong turns (values <0.1). However, similar ethanol consumption did
not produce higher peak BAC or more driving impairments in older drivers.
While there were no differences between age groups in terms of awareness of
intoxication or driving difficulties, older men were unwilling to drive
while legally intoxicated because of fear of physical injury, whereas
middle-aged men were more likely to avoid driving when intoxicated due to
fear of legal ramifications. CONCLUSION: While both age and legal
intoxication affected driving performance, older men were no more sensitive
to ethanol in terms of peak BACs, driving performance or
awareness/judgement than middle-aged men.
ARTICLES
The effects of age and alcohol intoxication on simulated driving performance, awareness and self-restraint
Department of Psychiatric Medicine, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville 22908, USA.
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