Impact of cognitive impairment on driving behaviour and route choices of older drivers: a real-world driving study

Maintaining driving independence is important for older adults. However, cognitive decline, a common issue in older populations, can impair older adults’ driving abilities and overall safety on the roads. This study explores how cognitive impairment influences driving patterns and driving choices among older adults. We analyzed real-world driving patterns of 246 older adults using GPS dataloggers. Our sample included 230 cognitively normal older adults (CN; Clinical Dementia Rating \(^R\) $_{}^R$ [CDR] = 0) and 16 older adults with incident cognitive impairment (ICI; CDR = 0.5). The CN group had an average age of 68.2 years, with 46% females and an average of 16.5 years of education, while the ICI group’s average age was 69.2 years, with 36% females and an average of 16.0 years of education. We employed spatial clustering and hashing algorithms to evaluate driving behaviours. Significant differences emerged: The ICI group used fewer distinct routes to their most common destination. These differences can be leveraged to develop driving as a digital biomarker for the early detection and continuous monitoring of cognitive impairment.