The Relationship between in-Vehicle Technologies and Self-Regulation among Older Drivers

The study sought to understand the relationship between in-vehicle technologies (IVTs) and self-regulatory behaviors among older drivers. In a large multi-site study of 2990 older drivers, self-reported data on the presence of IVTs and avoidance of various driving behaviors (talking on a mobile phone while driving, driving at night, driving in bad weather, and making left turns when there is no left turn arrow) were recorded. Self-reports were used to identify whether avoidance was due to self-regulation. Hierarchical logistic regressions were used to determine whether the presence of a particular IVT predicted the likelihood of a given self-regulatory behavior after controlling for other factors. Results suggest that the presence of Integrated Bluetooth/Voice Control systems are related to a reduced likelihood of avoiding talking on a mobile phone while driving due to self-regulation (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.29–0.47). The presence of a Navigation Assistance system was related to a reduced likelihood of avoiding talking on a mobile phone while driving (OR= 0.65, 95% CI = 0.50–0.84) and avoiding driving at night due to self-regulation (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.64–1.00). Present findings suggest in-vehicle technologies may differently influence the self-regulatory behaviors of older drivers.