Just the Facts: Changes in Older Driver Attitudes After Exposure to Educational Interventions

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the change in cognitive processing as measured by consciousness raising and attitudes toward driving following educational interventions for older adults.

Methods: Older adults who viewed a research-based applied theater production about older driver safety (n = 110) were compared to those who were exposed to a print-based publication available to all drivers (n = 100).

Results: After viewing the play developed with input from older adults and others, older adult viewers’ attitudes toward driving shifted in a manner consistent with an increased openness or willingness to consider changing their driving behavior. Conversely, after reading the print-based materials, the older adults felt more empowered to continue drive.

Conclusions: Demonstrating that an intervention that takes into account the views of older drivers can lead to attitudinal outcomes that differ from those achieved with typical “just the facts” programs is an important step in understanding how program content and format affect outcomes. Future interdisciplinary work such as this may enhance our capabilities to understand more about the processes involved in influencing change in attitudes and behaviors.

Keywords:

• driver behavior
• elderly
• interventions
• old drivers
• psychology