Driving Efficacy of Elderly Drivers by Driving Situation according to the Level of Anxiety: A Perspective on the Need for Specialized Mental Health Driving Rehabilitation Services

Objective : The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the differences in driving efficacy of elderly drivers with and without anxiety according to driving situations and to suggest the necessity of developing a mental health promotion program and intervention services when providing driving rehabilitation services. Methods : The anxiety level and driving efficacy were measured using the Korean Self-rating Anxiety Scale (K-SAS) and the Korean-Adelaide Driving Self-Efficacy Scale (K-ADSES) of 45 elderly drivers in a local community. Results : There was a difference in driving efficacy between the group without anxiety and the group with mild or higher anxiety, and in particular, elderly drivers with mild or higher anxiety showed a decrease in efficacy in driving situations such as ‘when merging with traffic flow’ and ‘when planning and driving to a new area.’ Conclusion : It suggests that elderly drivers need training to acquire driving skills to improve the quality and efficacy of driving in various driving situations, and that specialized driving rehabilitation programs and policy support systems should be prepared to provide physical, mental, and psychological support for safe driving by driving rehabilitation teams such as occupational therapists, psychiatrists, and rehabilitation specialists.