University of New South Wales and NeuRA Launch Study on Older Driver Safety

For older Australian drivers, driving is not just a habit or an exciting action, it is a chance for mobility and independence. It is also the only hope of being an active part of the community for many. Hence, it’s important to give older drivers equal opportunities and resources to continue driving, despite the physical changes and challenges they might face.

However, ensuring their safety on the road is equally important. Older drivers are more susceptible to mistakes and lack of judgment. That’s why driving schools and instructors need to focus more on helping them improve their weaknesses.

We must know their strengths and weaknesses, understand their requirements, and tailor the lessons to meet their needs. Driving assessors have the tough job of assessing the capabilities and drawbacks of older drivers. Based on their assessment, driving lessons can be tailored to help older drivers stay safe while driving.

However, driving assessors also need all the support we can offer to enhance road safety for adults. UNSW and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) are launching a study on older driver safety to further this cause. Let us learn more about this study, its purpose, its effect, and who can join it.

As we age, our bodies may experience various changes related to physical limitations, cognitive decline, or some medical conditions. These factors can affect older drivers' driving skills, responses, reflexes, and decision-making abilities. It also leaves them more prone to accidents and vulnerable to damage on the road. We must ensure their safety by ensuring they’re fit to drive and guiding them to change or adjust their driving as required. To achieve this, we must know what resources are currently used to assess older drivers and whether they’re effective and easily available. This is possible with the experience and knowledge of driving instructors and assessors. With their input and data, we can hope to improve our understanding of the resources and knowledge available to older drivers.

UNSW and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) are conducting a study called “Evaluation and Implementation of Evidence-Based Resources for Ageing and Driving Safety.” This initiative focuses on driving instructors and assessors, inviting them to join a study to understand and improve road safety for older drivers. The study’s purpose is to understand and address the main requirements of driving instructors and assessors and learn about any knowledge gaps or lack of resources.

This study focuses on providing driving instructors with the latest evidence-based resources to help them guide older drivers better. These resources may include proper guidelines, detailed training programs, and modern assessment tools. These resources can help instructors properly assess the fitness of older drivers. It can also offer best practices with evidence of effectiveness so that instructors can give safe driving advice and guide older drivers correctly.

UNSW and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) invite instructors to join this study to help them learn more about the knowledge gap and requirements of driving instructors and assessors. If you're an instructor interested in joining the study, here are the criteria for participation:

Eligible participants:

You’re eligible to participate in this study if:

• You’re currently conducting ‘Fitness to Drive’ assessments for older adults.

• You live in Australia.

• You’re proficient in English.

• You have access to the internet and email.

If you’re eligible and wish to join the study, you must complete a 15-minute online questionnaire. This form called the ‘Participant Information Statement and Consent Form,’ details all requirements and any potential risks for the study’s participants. It can be accessed HERE

After evaluating the resources, this study aims to find ways to improve the implementation of these evidence-based tools in practical use, so instructors can more effectively assess and advise older drivers.

Instructors and assessors from reputed driving schools like Onroad Driving Education always try to improve their current lessons and promote safer driving practices in their students. By joining this study, instructors and assessors can get valuable insights and recommendations on properly using and integrating these resources into their existing training programs. This research can contribute to developing tools to improve road safety for older Australians.