Motorcycle & Older Driver

This brochure discusses how medications affect driving; driving safety; and resources.  It promotes discussion among older drivers, drivers with medical conditions, families, and doctors.  It was developed in partnership with the American Pharmacists Association and American Society of Consultant Pharmacists to assist decisions about driving safely. Two color, 3.75" x 8.5", six panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/medications/index.htm

This brochure is intended to assist drivers, their family members, and health care professionals in talking about how Alzheimer's affects driving.  It will prompt discussions about planning for the time when the Alzheimer's patient will have to stop driving.  8.5" x 11", two color, six panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/alzheimers/index.html

This brochure includes symptoms of arthritis, how the condition may affect driving, suggested steps drivers may take to increase their driving safety if they have this condition, and resources for drivers with arthritis. It is intended as a discussion tool between patients and their doctor. The pamphlet was developed in partnership with the Arthritis Foundation to assist in making decisions about driving ability, risk, and safety. It may be particularly relevant for older drivers seeking to maintain mobility after being

diagnosed with arthritis. 3.75"x 8.5", two color, six panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/arthritis/index.htm

This brochure includes information about symptoms of diabetes, how this condition may affect driving, suggested steps drivers may take to increase their driving safety if they have this condition, and relevant resources for drivers with this condition.  This is intended to be a discussion tool between patients and their doctors.  The pamphlet was developed in partnership with the American Diabetes Association to help drivers, especially when making decisions about ability, risk, and safety.  This may be particular relevant for older drivers who are seeking to maintain their mobility after being diagnosed with this condition.  3.5" x 8.5", three color, 6 panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/diabetes%20web/

This brochure includes information about symptoms of the glaucoma vision problem, how this condition may affect driving, suggested steps drivers may take to increase their driving safety if they have this condition, and relevant resources for drivers with this condition.  This is intended to be a discussion tool between patients and their eye doctors.  The pamphlet was developed in partnership with the American Optometric Association to help drivers, especially when making decisions about ability, risk, and safety.  This may be particular relevant for older drivers who are seeking to maintain their mobility after being diagnosed with this condition.  3.5" x 8.5", three color, 6 panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/Driving_glaucoma/

This brochure discusses how a stroke may affect driving, suggested steps drivers may take to increase their driving safety if had a stroke, and information resources for families and for drivers who have had a stroke.  It is intended as a discussion tool among stroke victims, their doctors and families.  The brochure was developed in partnership with the American Stroke Association to assist in making decisions about driving ability, risk and safety.  3.75" x 8.5", two color, six panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/Stroke/index.html

This brochure includes symptoms of seizures, how driving may be affected for individuals who have had seizures, suggested steps drivers may take in consultation with their doctors to increase their driving safety if they have had a seizure, and information resources for drivers who have had a seizure. It is intended as a discussion tool among individuals who have had a seizure and their doctor. The pamphlet was developed in partnership with The Epilepsy Foundation to assist in making decisions about driving ability, risk and safety. It may be particularly relevant for older drivers seeking to maintain mobility after having had a seizure. 3.75"x 8.5", black and white, six panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/Seizures%20Web/

This brochure includes information about symptoms of the macular degeneration vision problem, how this condition may affect driving, suggested steps drivers may take to increase their driving safety if they have this condition, and relevant resources for drivers with this condition.  This is intended to be a discussion tool between patients and their eye doctors.  The pamphlet was developed in partnership with the American Optometric Association to help drivers, especially when making decisions about ability, risk, and safety.  This may be particular relevant for older drivers who are seeking to maintain their mobility after being diagnosed with this condition.  3.5" x 8.5", three color, 6 panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/Macular/Index.html

This brochure includes symptoms of Parkinson's, how the condition may affect driving, suggested steps drivers may take to increase their driving safety if they have this condition, and resources for drivers with Parkinson's. It is intended as a discussion tool between patients and their doctor. The pamphlet was developed in partnership with the National Parkinson Foundation and the American Parkinson Disease Association to assist in making decisions about driving ability, risk, and safety. It may be particularly relevant for older drivers seeking to maintain mobility after being diagnosed with Parkinson's. 3.75"x 8.5", two color, six panels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/Parkinsons%20Web/

This brochure discusses how sleep apnea may affect driving, suggested steps drivers may take to increase their driving safety if they have this condition, and information resources for drivers with sleep apnea.  It is intended as a discussion tool among people with this condition, their doctors and family members.  The pamphlet was developed in partnership with the National Sleep Foundation to assist in making decisions about driving ability, risk, and safety.  It may be particularly relevant for older drivers seeking to maintain mobility after being diagnosed with sleep apnea.  3.75" x 8.5", black and white, six pages.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/olddrive/sleep%20apnea/images/apnea2005.pdf

light-truck operators. Despite the relevance of alcohol to motorcycle safety, only limited information on the impairing effects of alcohol on motorcycle operator performance is available.  To address this issue, NHTSA sponsored a research study to assess the impairing effects of alcohol (up to the current per se limit of .08 g/dL), on rider performance involving a broad set of basic motorcycle riding skills.
These riding skills were assessed on a test track with task scenarios based on the Motorcycle Safety Foundations (MSF) training program. This study used a balanced incomplete block design to remove confounding artifacts (learning effects) by randomizing four BAC levels across three test days. Performance was characterized in terms of riding strategy used to cope with the effects of alcohol as a neurological stressor and the amount of resulting impairment with reference to specified performance standards. The analysis controlled for rider gender and age, riding skill, and drinking history.

Motorcycle fatalities have increased for the ninth consecutive year and now represent 11.3  percent of all traffic fatalities in the U.S.  One factor that continues to be associated with motorcycle fatalities is alcohol.  In 2005, twenty-seven percent of motorcycle operators had blood alcohol concentrations of .08 g/dL or higher versus 22 percent for passenger car operators, and 21 percent for

This report examines the change in motorcycle helmet use resulting from the 1997 repeal of mandatory helmet laws for motorcycle riders in Arkansas and Texas. Prior to repeal of the law, statewide surveys indicated that helmet use was 97 percent; after repeal, use dropped to between 52 and 66 percent. Corresponding increases in head injuries and fatalities were also observed after repeal of mandatory helmet legislation in these States. Three color, 8.5" x 11", 58 pages.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811630.pdf

This project was conducted to provide an objective measure of the relationship between older adults’ scores on a set of driving assessment tools and their (serious point) violations and crashes over a period of 18 months following the assessments. An additional objective was to compare alternative methods of measuring driver exposure. The assessments were performed on 692 participants age 70 and older who visited one of four Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) field offices between September 2008 and June 2009, under NHTSA contract DTNH22-05-D-05043, Task Order 10. The assessments emphasized cognitive performance domains, specifically visuospatial ability, speed of (visual information) processing, divided attention, visual search, working memory, and response planning or “executive function.” Contrast sensitivity was also measured, as well as simple and choice brake reaction time. The functional assessments examined in this research were computer-based and designed to be self-administered, although the assistance of a test administrator was always available and was required for some measures. Univariate and multivariate analyses examined the relationships between functional assessment scores and safety indicators. The measure of “executive function” (maze performance) was highlighted as a significant predictor of crash risk in the study results. This may be of interest to occupational therapy/driving rehabilitation providers as a potentially valuable tool to support clinical evaluations of fitness to drive; and, to developers of screening tools for early warning of driving impairments, and of products meant to educate older drivers and their families about age-related changes that impact safe driving.

May 2009

This guide summarizes the major problem areas facing motorcycle safety and provides examples of programs and activities that have been initiated by a wide array of stakeholders in the motorcycling community to implement the recommendations made in the National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety.  Additionally, this guide opens up a network of contacts responsible for the programs and activities mentioned should an agency or organization wish to obtain additional information and launch a similar program or activity in their area or jurisdiction.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/NAMS2006/index.html

It's a fact:  Alcohol affects your riding skills - so ride straight.  Riding a motorcycle takes coordination, balance and most important, good judgment.  Alcohol, more than any other single factor, can rob you of your ability to think clearly and ride safely.  3.5"" x 8.5", full color, six panels.

Ride Straight - Its A Fact: Alcohol Affects Your Riding Skills

Riders Helping Riders is an instructional program designed to encourage motorcyclists to intervene to prevent orther motorcyclists from orperting a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

This study used eye tracker technology to monitor where motorcycle riders were looking as they rode over an open road course and a closed course. The purpose of the project was to determine if visual behavior differs between beginner
riders who have received training on sight distance, beginner riders who have not received training, and experienced riders. An additional objective was to develop the data acquisition system necessary to collect these data, and
to demonstrate the feasibility of collecting eye-tracking data on the open road from riders with a variety of experience levels.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811690.pdf

Very little is known about the effect of motorcycle rider training on visual scanning and sight distance techniques in naturalistic riding situations. This study collected naturalistic data from a mix of novice and experienced motorcycle riders on a closed course and an open course. A custom data acquisition system was developed that monitored the motorcycle rider’s head motions, visual behavior, motorcycle speed, GPS location, and motorcycle pitch, yaw, and roll. A portable eye tracker system actively tracked visual behavior and gaze movement of the motorcycle rider as he or she rode over a closed course and an open road course at two 6-month intervals. There were three groups of riders. One group of beginner riders had recently received their motorcycle endorsement and completed the Team Oregon Basic Rider Training course (beginner-trained). A second group of beginner riders had recently received their motorcycle endorsement but had not enrolled in any type of motorcycle rider training program (beginner-untrained). The third group consisted of experienced riders with a minimum of 5 years and 15,000 miles of riding experience (experienced).

http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/pdf/811689.pdf