Elderly Drivers

Campaign

Elderly drivers are at a very high risk of being in or causing a car accident when driving. We’ve developed a campaign which aims to educate people on the warning signs that may indicate that a persons age may be effecting their ability to drive safely in a car.

This not only targets the person directly, but we’re also targeting others who may know an elderly someone who they believe may be a danger on the road.

Warning Signs – TAC website •Suffer from any serious health conditions

such as arthritis, epilepsy, a heart condition, high blood pressure or anxiety?

•Take medication that may impair your driving?

•Have difficulty reacting quickly to other drivers' actions?

•Drive at inappropriate speeds, either too fast or too slow?

•Regularly need your passengers to give you directions, such as when it is clear to pass?

•Ignore or misinterpret traffic signs and signals?

•Fail to judge distances between cars correctly?

•Become easily flustered or angry?

•Have difficulty with glare of oncoming headlights, streetlights or other bright or shiny objects, especially at dawn, dusk and at night?

•Find it hard to turn your head, neck, shoulders or body while in traffic or parking?

•Had one or more near accidents?

•Feel exhausted after driving for an hour or more?

•Have difficulty maintaining concentration while driving?

•Have your passengers warn you about things on the road you may not have seen, or have seen too late?

•Feel uncomfortable in heavy traffic?

1.Heath Belief Model

1.Perceived Susceptibility 2.Perceived Severity 3.Perceived Benefits 4.Perceived Barriers 5.Cues to Actions 6.Self-efficacy

Health Belief Model. The Health Belief Model is a theory used in health promotion to design

intervention and prevention programs. It was created in the 1950’s and continues to be one of the most popular and widely used theories in creating interventions. The focus of the HBM is to assess health behavior of individuals through examination of perceptions and attitudes someone may have towards disease and negative outcomes of certain actions. The HBM assumes that behavior change occurs with the existence of three ideas at the same time:

1. An individual recognizes that there is enough reason to make a health concern relevant (perceived susceptibility and severity)

2. That person understands he or she may be vulnerable to a disease or negative health outcome. (perceived threat)

3. Lastly the individual must realize that behavior change can be beneficial and the benefits of that change will outweigh any costs of doing so. (perceived benefits and barriers)

Perceived Susceptibility

Within the health field susceptibility refers to the risk a person has to a particular disease or health outcome. Within the context of the HBM, perceived susceptibility examines the individual’s opinions about how likely the behaviors they partake in are going to lead to a negative health outcome. One of the Goals of the HBM is to change perceptions of susceptibility in order to move towards behavior change.

Perceived Severity

Most people are familiar with the word severity as how serious a situation or action can be. In the HBM perceived severity addresses how serious the diseases that a person is susceptible to can be. The HBM seeks to increase awareness of how serious the outcomes of behaviors can be in order increase the quality of one’s life.

Perceived Benefits

What are the benefits to change? In the HBM the goal is greater quality of life for an individual both mentally and physically. Clearly a benefit to change would be increased health but there could be other factors that exist on an individual level.

Perceived Barriers

What are the reasons that I cannot change my behavior? Barriers could be anything from losing friends to not having enough money or even self-efficacy problems such as not believing in one’s self. For change to take place the benefits must be stronger than the barriers.

Cues to Action

Cues to action are reasons why an individual realizes he/she could be threatened by serious disease or negative behavior. These could be media or concerned loved ones. Cues to action are anything that triggers a decision to change behavior.

Self-efficacy

The confidence in one’s ability to take action. Providing training and guidance in performing actions Use progressive goal settings Demonstrate desired behavior

Brochure

We’ve created a brochure in which it will be sent out in the mail with every drivers registration renewal letter. We’ve used the HBM to structure our brochure around it. This way people who are elderly themselves or who have an elderly friend or family member that they know still drives, will know the signs and will start to notice if they are at risk. It may not necessarily make everyone who receives it stop driving or ask someone to stop, but it will educate them on things to notice in themselves or others.

Brochure

Product: For elderly drivers and friends/families of elderly drivers to understand the warning signs of being an unsafe driver due to age.

Price: Although it can be inconvenient to have to cease driving, the benefit is peace of mind for oneself and for the family. But there are always safer alternatives to driving. It is also a lot more cost effective to use other means of transport.

Placement: Distribution channel is through VIC roads registration renewal letter/ VIC Roads license renewal letter.

Promotion: Message will be delivered through local newspapers ,outreach activities and special events held by local community.

Perceived Susceptibility

Slower reaction time Lack quick judgment Loss of clarity in vision & hearing Loss of muscle strength & flexibility Use of prescription medication which may cause

drowsiness Medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart

conditions, arthritis, etc.

Perceived Severity

In Australia, crash rates reveal that drivers aged 75 years and older are at higher risk of death and serious injury compared with middle-aged drivers aged 25-60 years, even when such rates are adjusted for vulnerability (frailty) .

It has been long recognized that older adults’ biomechanical tolerances to injury are lower than those of younger persons ( Viano et al., 1990; Evans, 1991; Mackay, 1998), primarily due to reductions in bone strength and fracture tolerances .

Drivers aged 75 years or over have a higher risk (per distance travelled) of being killed in a crash than any other age group.

TAC VICTORIA

Perceived Benefits

Reduce the number of death rates of older drivers Reduce the number of injuries of elderly drivers due to

car accidents Increase quality of life Save on the cost of owning a car (eg. Petrol,

registration etc.) Walking short distances –exercise

Perceived Barriers

Losing their independence Loss of control of their life Not being able to travel somewhere when they wish Have to rely on public transport or someone else Peace of mind for oneself and family/friends

Self-Efficacy

Gaining efficient knowledge on the warning signs Recognising their actions and being able to change

that behaviour due to the risk factors. Having the confidence and making direct decision to

improve their quality of life.

New VIC Roads Rule/regulation – Institutional/Organisational level

Our other campaign was to change the rules of license renewal for those who are 65 and older. They are to renew their license every 2 years and must do it in person. They will also be required to undertake a vision test, a reaction test and short quiz on the warning signs and risks to better understand what can happen to a persons ability to drive as they age.After completing these tests, they will receive a small discount off the price of their renewal.

Social Marketing

Product: For elderly drivers and friends/families of elderly drivers to understand the warning signs of being an unsafe driver due to age.

Price: Although it can be inconvenient to have to go to VIC Roads every 2 years, they will receive a small compensation for doing so, which is a discount on the price of their renewal.

Placement: Distribution channel is through VIC roads registration renewal letter/ VIC Roads license renewal letter.

Promotion: When someone 65 or older needs to renew their drivers license they will receive a letter informing them of the process.

To better inform people, there will be a small paragraph on every persons registration renewal explaining the new procedure.

Perceived Susceptibility-

This will acknowledge drivers that as they age, their reaction time and vision will deteriorate.

Perceived Severity

People undergoing the test will understand the risks and learn the warning signs

Perceived Barrier

Having to come down to take the test can be inconvenient. As well as fearing they may not pass the vision/reaction test

Perceived Benefit

Receive licence with an increase in safety and knowledge of updated road rules.

Self Efficacy

Having acquired the guidance and knowledge of being aware of the risky behaviour and being able to limit yourself from it to achieve a positive outcome.

Sources

http://www.iccwa.org.au/useruploads/files/soyf/2013_resources_videos/the_health_belief_model.pdfevan_burke.pdf

http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/safe-driving/older-drivers