Mobility impairments in crash-involved older drivers

Objective: To evaluate potential associations of impairments in physical fu nction with motor vehicle crash involvement in older drivers. Methods: Case participants were randomly selected residents of Mobile County, Alabama, g reater than or equal to 65 years old who had sustained an at-fault motor ve hicle crash in 1996. Similarly selected crash-free controls were frequency matched to cases on gender and age. Self-report data on demographic variabl es, medical conditions, medications, driving exposure, and function were co llected by telephone interviewers. Results: Relative to crash-free subjects , crash-involved drivers were significantly more likely to report difficult y walking 1/4 mile and moving outdoors. Marginally significant associations were observed for trouble carrying a heavy object 100 yards and for the oc currence of falls in the prior year. Increasing numbers of functional limit ations were directly related to the odds of crash involvement. Discussion: In comparison to crash-free controls, crash-involved older drivers are more likely to report other mobility-related impairments, possibly including fa lls.