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. 2024 Sep 2;36(5):948-962.
doi: 10.1080/08959420.2022.2145791. Epub 2022 Dec 4.

Distance From Home to Motor Vehicle Crash Location: Implications for License Restrictions Among Medically-At-Risk Older Drivers

Nina R Joyce  1   2   3 , Marzan A Khan  2 , Andrew R Zullo  1   2   3   4   5 , Melissa R Pfeiffer  3 , Kristina B Metzger  3 , Seth A Margolis  6   7 , Brian R Ott  6   8 , Allison E Curry  3   9
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Distance From Home to Motor Vehicle Crash Location: Implications for License Restrictions Among Medically-At-Risk Older Drivers

Nina R Joyce et al. J Aging Soc Policy. .

Abstract

In 30 states, licensing agencies can restrict the distance from home that "medically-at-risk" drivers are permitted to drive. However, where older drivers crash relative to their home or how distance to crash varies by medical condition is unknown. Using geocoded crash locations and residential addresses linked to Medicare claims, we describe how the relationship between distance from home to crash varies by driver characteristics. We find that a majority of crashes occur within a few miles from home with little variation across driver demographics or medical conditions. Thus, distance restrictions may not reduce crash rates among older adults, and the tradeoff between safety and mobility warrants consideration.

Keywords: Activities of daily living; Medicare; chronic disease; motor vehicles; traffic collisions; transportation.

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Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Flow chart illustrating selection of the final study sample, with the grey boxes depicting exclusions conducted. a Euclidean distance from residential address as recorded on the crash report. b We excluded crash-involved drivers for whom the population density of their home address census tract was unavailable due to small-cell-size publication restrictions required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). c A single individual may be included in the study population more than once if they were a driver involved in multiple crashes over the study period.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:
Cumulative proportion of crashes by Euclidean distance from residential address to the crash location among crash-involved drivers in New Jersey, ages 68 years and older, 2007–2017. Note: 95% of the crashes occurred within 25 miles from the driver’s residence. The maximum value of Euclidean distance in the data was 152 miles.
Figure 3:
Figure 3:
Forest plot of mean Euclidean distance from residential address to the crash location and associated 95% confidence intervals by characteristics of the crash-involved drivers in New Jersey, ages 68 years and older, 2007–2017. CI=Confidence Interval
Figure 4:
Figure 4:
Forest plot of mean Euclidean distance from residence to crash location and associated 95% confidence intervals by comorbidities of drivers in New Jersey, ages 68 years and older, 2007–2017. CI=Confidence Interval, TBI=Traumatic Brain Injury, ADHD=Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Figure 4:
Figure 4:
Forest plot of mean Euclidean distance from residence to crash location and associated 95% confidence intervals by comorbidities of drivers in New Jersey, ages 68 years and older, 2007–2017. CI=Confidence Interval, TBI=Traumatic Brain Injury, ADHD=Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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