NIOSH combats vehicular crashes in older workers
Death rates in roadway crashes increase at age 55
Citing statistics that roadway crashes are the leading cause of occupational fatalities for older workers in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published a resource that addresses the safety concerns of older drivers.
Although the number of fatal vehicular accidents in the general population decreases with age, death rates for work-related roadway crashes increase steadily beginning around age 55.
Aging-related conditions such as diminished vision, slower reaction times, a decline in cognitive functioning, and decreasing muscle strength and range of motion may not affect a person's ability to work, but they may affect the ability to safely operate a vehicle. These changes are gradual and highly variable, and can affect some drivers much more than others.
Between 1992 and 2001, job-related motor vehicle crashes accounted for 13,337 deaths among the civilian work force, federal safety data show. Males accounted for 11,931 deaths, or 89% of the total, with a fatality rate six times higher than that for females. Fatality rates increased sharply beginning with age 55, with the highest rate (6.4 deaths per 100,000 employees) among employees 75 and older.
In 1997-2002, 5,798 worker fatalities occurred in 5,626 vehicles, data from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System show. Those data indicate that 56% of fatally injured workers were not wearing seat belts or had no seat belts available, and 28% were wearing seat belts. Factors associated with the workers' vehicles that were judged to have contributed to the fatal crashes were: running off the road or failing to stay in the proper lane (2,599, 46%); driving over the speed limit or too fast for conditions (1,284, 23%); driver inattention (609, 11%); and driver drowsiness (373, 7%).
Comparing other trends, NIOSH points out: In the general population, fatal crash involvement rates decrease with age. Death rates for work-related roadway crashes increase steadily beginning around age 55, and begin to approach rates for the general population.
Older drivers are more likely than other drivers to have a crash at an intersection (particularly when turning left), and when merging or changing lanes on a freeway.
Changes due to normal aging may affect an older person's ability to drive. These changes are gradual and highly variable, affecting some drivers much more than others.
Older workers may also experience a variety of chronic conditions that can affect their ability to drive, including arthritis and macular degeneration.
Unlike their retired counterparts who can wait for better driving conditions, older workers often have to drive in poor conditions to meet deadlines or delivery dates.
Tips offered for employers and drivers
NIOSH suggests employers who have older drivers working for them should consider creating policies to encourage safe driving:
- Assign a key member of the management team responsibility and authority to set and enforce comprehensive driver safety policy.
- Enforce mandatory seat belt use.
- Do not require workers to drive irregular hours or far beyond their normal working hours.
- Promote worker health and safety through activities aimed at improving the general health of the work force (e.g., exercise, diet, and smoking cessation programs).
- Assess driving ability through regular physical exams by trained health professionals.
- Restrict driving based on assessment of actual driving ability — not solely on general health status or an arbitrary age limit.
- If a worker's ability to drive is affected temporarily or permanently, make every effort to accommodate that worker to other job duties.
- Provide "refresher" driver training and encourage older workers to attend.
- Encourage using familiar routes of delivery.
- Maintain complete and accurate records of workers' driving performance.
For their part, workers who drive for a living — regardless of age — should consider what they can do to make their time on the road safer:
- Drivers should make sure they are well-rested.
- Adjust steering wheel, seat, controls, and mirrors.
- Clean lights and windows, and inspect tires.
- Plan routes, especially if he or she will be traveling in an unfamiliar area, and allow plenty of time to reach the destination safely.
- Determine if there are construction zones or detours along the route.
- Avoid driving at night and in inclement weather.
- Use caution at intersections and interchanges, especially when making left-hand turns, and avoid cutting between approaching vehicles when doing so.
- Do not use a cell phone while operating a vehicle.
- Stop for regular rest breaks, and do not continue to drive if fatigued.
- Maintain good physical health through regular physical activity, proper diet, and regular physical exams by a health care provider.
- Talk with the health care provider or pharmacist about individual or combined effects of prescription or non-prescription medications on the driver's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
- If chronic pain or decreased range of motion is making it difficult to drive, seek advice from a professional with knowledge of driver rehabilitation or adaptive technologies. Simple changes such as extra mirrors or ergonomic seats can make a difference.
For more information, including downloadable handouts and posters on driver safety, go to http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-159/.
Although the number of fatal vehicular accidents in the general population decreases with age, death rates for work-related roadway crashes increase steadily beginning around age 55.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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