Driving as a travel option for older adults: Findings from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing

Abstract

The role of transport in the health and wellbeing of older people is increasingly recognized: driving is the main form of personal transportation across the adult life-span. Patterns of changed mobility and driving cessation are an important focus of research. We investigated cross-sectional changes in driving as the main form of transportation and the frequency of such driving. The impact of Gender and Marital Status on Driver Status was also examined along with the reasons cited for ceasing driving. The impact that Driver Status had on Quality of Life and Loneliness was also assessed. Questionnaire based data from the Irish longitudinal study on aging (TILDA), a stratified clustered sample of 8163 individuals representative of the community dwelling population aged 50 years and over between 2009 and 2011 were examined. Driving oneself was identified by 76.1% as their most frequently used form of transport. Only for 80+ participants in Rural and Urban non-Dublin was it the second most popular option, being replaced by Being driven by someone else. Less women identified Driving oneself as their most frequently used option and they experienced an almost linear decline in uptake with Age. The uptake reported by men remained high up to 69 and only after this point did it begin to decline. A greater proportion of men were Current drivers with a similar pattern being shown by women in relation to Never drivers. Irrespective of Gender, married participants were more likely to drive. A greater proportion of women cited a reason other than health for giving up driving. Three reasons for giving up were impacted by Age category of which Physical incapacity was not one. Driving status impacted positively on Quality of Life and Loneliness. The results are discussed in light of the advantages to society of older drivers continuing to drive.