The Effects of Cognitive and Visual Functions of Korean Elderly Taxi Drivers on Safe Driving Behavior

PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated the effect of visual and cognitive functions of elderly taxi drivers on safe driving behavior. We aimed to identify factors that interfere with safe driving in an aging Korean society in elderly taxi drivers. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 203 elderly taxi drivers, aged >65, working at 3 companies in a single city were assessed over 4 weeks from December 1 to December 30, 2017, using the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test, Korean Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Korean Safe Driving Behavior Measure. To examine the effects of cognitive and visual functions on driving behavior, we performed a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis (p<0.05). RESULTS: All 4 subdomains of safe driving behaviors were significantly correlated with the cognitive subdomains of attention and abstraction and the visual perception subdomains of visual closure 1 and figure-ground. CONCLUSION: More systematic assessments of the relationship between driving behavior and cognitive and visual function in elderly individuals are needed.