Unsafe rear-end collision avoidance in Alzheimer's disease

Ergun Y Uc; Matthew Rizzo; Steven W Anderson; Qian Shi; Jeffrey D Dawson

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2006.08.011

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Unsafe rear-end collision avoidance in Alzheimer's disease

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Unsafe rear-end collision avoidance in Alzheimer's disease

Ergun Y Uc, Matthew Rizzo, Steven W Anderson, Qian Shi and Jeffrey D Dawson

Journal of the neurological sciences, Vol.251(1), pp.35-43

2006

DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2006.08.011

PMID: 17049360

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Abstract

Drivers with cognitive impairment are at increased odds for vehicular crashes. Rear-end collisions (REC) are among the most common crash types. We tested REC avoidance in 61 drivers with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 115 elderly controls using a high-fidelity interactive driving simulator. After a segment of uneventful driving, each driver suddenly encountered a lead vehicle stopped at an intersection, creating the potential for a collision with lead vehicle or with another vehicle following closely behind the driver. Eighty-nine percent of drivers with AD had unsafe outcomes, either an REC or an risky avoidance behavior (defined as slowing down abruptly or prematurely, or swerving out of the traffic lane) compared to 65% of controls ( P = 0.0007). Crash rates were similar in AD (5%) and controls (3%), yet a greater proportion of drivers with AD slowed down abruptly (70% vs. 37%, P < 0.0001) or prematurely (66% vs. 45%, P = 0.0115). Abrupt slowing increased the odds of being struck from behind by the following vehicle ( P = 0.0262). Unsafe outcomes were predicted by tests of visual perception, attention, memory, visuospatial/constructional abilities, and executive functions, as well as vehicular control measures during an uneventful driving segment. Drivers with AD had difficulty responding to driving conditions that pose a hazard for a REC. Some cognitive and visual tests were predictive of unsafe outcomes even after adjusting for disease status.

Vision

Dementia

Crash

Driving

Traffic accident

Cognition

Alzheimer's disease

Details

Title: Subtitle: Unsafe rear-end collision avoidance in Alzheimer's disease
Creators: Ergun Y Uc - Division of Neuroergonomics, Department of Neurology, College of Medicice, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
Matthew Rizzo - Division of Neuroergonomics, Department of Neurology, College of Medicice, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
Steven W Anderson - Division of Neuroergonomics, Department of Neurology, College of Medicice, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
Qian Shi - Division of Neuroergonomics, Department of Neurology, College of Medicice, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
Jeffrey D Dawson - Division of Neuroergonomics, Department of Neurology, College of Medicice, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of the neurological sciences, Vol.251(1), pp.35-43
DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2006.08.011
PMID: 17049360
NLM abbreviation: J Neurol Sci
ISSN: 0022-510X
eISSN: 1878-5883
Publisher: Elsevier B.V
Language: English
Date published: 2006
Academic Unit: Neurology; Public Health Administration; Biostatistics
Record Identifier: 9983997439002771

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