Exploring strategies used by older drivers during ingress and egress and their varying physical mobility

Abstract

The overall purpose of the present study was to examine the strategies used by older adults with regard to both foot placement and hand contact location as they enter (ingress) and exit (egress) a vehicle. A cross-sectional study was used to identify and, in turn, examine the participants’ ingress and egress strategies in relation to their physical mobility and other characteristics. All participants had a valid driver’s license and they completed the following: 1) demographic (self-report) questionnaires; 2) clinical measures of physical mobility (i.e. Timed Up and Go, Berg Balance Scale, One Legged Stance test, Rapid Pace Walk test). A physical mobility index was also developed using these clinical measures. During both ingress and egress, older drivers were more likely to use one-foot strategies, which are considered less stable. Participants who used one-foot ingress and egress strategies had better overall physical mobility. The armrest location was used by the majority of older drivers for both ingress and egress, and is used most often during one-foot strategies. Participants who used multiple hand contact locations during ingress/egress had lower physical mobility than participants who used a single hand contact location or made no contact with the vehicle. Finally, the results from this study can inform educational materials targeting this population and determining design changes to the automobile that can prevent injuries to older drivers.