Title Older road users: from driving cessation to safe transportation Authors

www.atsb.gov.au Background: Driving is a valued life role. Because of age-related changes, older people (that is, those aged 65 years and older) may need to retire from driving. Driving cessation can be a major life transition involving grief and loss, difficulty accessing alternative transport, reduced participation in life roles and poorer health outcomes. Methods: This study was conducted in two phases. In the exploratory phase, 234 people aged 65 years and older were interviewed about their transport use and lifestyle. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used to compare current drivers, retired drivers and people who had never driven, on transport and lifestyle outcomes. In the development phase, resources were developed from the findings of the previous phase and reference groups and piloting were used in their preliminary evaluation. Results: Current drivers do not plan well for driving cessation. Most rely primarily on self-driving as a means of transport and few express specific plans for retirement from driving. Driving cessation can lead to lifestyle losses, with retired drivers having lower lif