University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), 2901 Baxter Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2150, United States; Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash Injury Research Institute, Monash University, Building 70, Victoria 3800, Australia.
Accid Anal Prev. 2013 Dec;61:272-80. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2013.07.004. Epub 2013 Jul 10.
Self-regulation shows promise as a means by which older adults can continue to drive at some level without having to stop altogether. Self-regulation is generally described as the process of modifying or adjusting one's driving patterns by driving less or intentionally avoiding driving situations considered to be challenging, typically in response to an awareness that driving skills have declined. However, most studies asking older adults whether they avoid certain driving situations or have reduced the amount of driving they do under certain circumstances have not delved deeper into the motivations for such avoidance or driving reduction. There are many reasons for modifying driving that have nothing to do with self-regulation, such as no longer needing to take trips at certain times of day because of changes in preferences or lifestyles. The purpose of this study was to examine self-regulatory practices among older adults at multiple levels of driver performance and decision making, taking into account the specific motivations for avoiding particular driving situations or engaging in other driving practices. Study participants completed a computer-based questionnaire on driving self-regulation. Results suggest that self-regulation is a complex process that cannot be defined simply by the reported driving modifications made by drivers. Understanding the motivations for these behaviors is necessary and the study showed that they are varied and differ considerably across driving situations. Reasons for driving avoidance or other practices were often more closely related to lifestyle or preferences than to self-regulation. Based on these findings, three distinct groups were identified with regard to whether and for what reasons participants modified their driving.
自我调节被认为是一种手段，老年人可以通过这种手段在一定程度上继续开车，而不必完全停止驾驶。自我调节通常被描述为通过减少驾驶或故意避免被认为具有挑战性的驾驶情况来调整或改变驾驶模式的过程，这通常是因为意识到驾驶技能已经下降。然而，大多数询问老年人是否避免某些驾驶情况或在某些情况下减少驾驶量的研究并没有更深入地探讨这种回避或驾驶减少的动机。有许多原因导致驾驶行为发生变化，这些原因与自我调节无关，例如由于偏好或生活方式的变化，不再需要在一天中的特定时间出行。本研究的目的是在多个驾驶表现和决策水平上检查老年人的自我调节行为，同时考虑到避免特定驾驶情况或采取其他驾驶行为的具体动机。研究参与者完成了一份基于计算机的驾驶自我调节问卷。结果表明，自我调节是一个复杂的过程，不能仅仅通过驾驶员报告的驾驶行为改变来定义。了解这些行为的动机是必要的，研究表明，这些动机因驾驶情况而异，且差异很大。避免驾驶或其他行为的原因通常与生活方式或偏好更为密切相关，而不是与自我调节相关。基于这些发现，针对参与者是否以及出于何种原因改变了他们的驾驶行为，确定了三个不同的群体。
