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2022 Vol.18, Issue 3 Preview Page

Original Article

Survey and Analysis of Vitality of the Senior to Safe Driving License in Korea

한국의 고령자 생체능력 조사로 안전한 운전면허 적성검사 강화 연령 추정

이 준1ㆍ방한나2ㆍ이상조3*

Jun Lee1, Han-Nah Bang2, Sang-Jo Lee3*

1Research Fellow, Transport Safety & Disaster Prevention. The Korea Transport Institute, Sejong, Republic of Korea
2Occupational Terapist, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
3Researcher, Transport Safety & Disaster Prevention. The Korea Transport Institute, Sejong, Republic of Korea
30 September 2022. pp. 622-635
PDF Citation
Abstract
Purpose: Due to the change of demography, the ratio of senior drivers has increased and the transition to a super-aged society is expected to make more seniors drive in the future. Method: In this research, we analyzed medical characteristics of the driver's age-specific decline in body function and saw that both the function of the physical as well as mental capacities deteriorates as people age. Among them, various functions are precipitously weakened after reaching 70, implying that those over the age of 70 are classified as seniors in a medical sense. In this context, we also could identify that based on such age criteria, various safety policies for senior drivers should be developed and set up in Korea. Result: We could find a steep fall in the physical function of body after reaching 70 from the chronological change of cognitive function and judgment ability. In particular, it is revealed that the driving license institution and aptitude test for drivers over 70 should be thoroughly examined, as physical functions necessary for driving such as eyesight and hearing ability is not strong enough in many drivers over 70. Conclusion: Focusing on the physical capacity to drive, we tried to find the hazardous age bracket of senior drivers which might influence driving behaviors. Going forward, we expect this work would help to understand the policies for senior drivers and drivers’ physical differences.
Keywords
Senior
Drivier License
Aptitude Test
Cognitive
Judgment
연구목적: 우리나라 인구구조의 변화로 고령자 운전자비율이 높아지고 있으며, 초고령사회로 전환되어 향후 더욱 많은 고령자가 운전을 할 것으로 기대되고 있다. 최근에는 고령자의 교통사고 증가에 따라 사회적 문제가 되고 있는 현실적 문제점을 가지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 연령에 따른 종합적 신체변화를 분석하고, 운전면허의 정밀 적성검사 연령을 추정하고자 한다. 연구방법: 본 연구에서 연령별 운전자의 신체 기능 저하의 의학적 특징을 면밀히 분석해 보았는데 신체적인 면과 인지적인 면에서 나이가 들어감에 따라 전반적으로 기능이 저하됨을 보았다. 그 중에서도 다양한 부분들이 70대 이후에 급격하게 떨어짐을 보이는데, 이는 의학적 측면에서 70세 이후를 고령자라 지칭할 수 있다는 것을 시사하는 것이며, 또한 우리나라 고령자의 안전운전을 위한 다양한 정책을 모색할 때 70세 이상을 기준으로 보고 수립해가야 한다고 판단할 수 있다. 연구결과: 인지기능 및 판단능력의 연령대별 변화추이를 볼 때 70세 이후에는 신체적 능력이 모두 급격히 떨어지는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 특히, 운전능력에 필요한 시각, 청각, 신체적 기능은 70세 이후에는 극히 일부만이 운전이 가능한 것으로 보이기 때문에, 운전면허 제도와 적성검사 등의 정밀한 분석이 70세 부터는 더욱 신중히 이루어져야 할 것으로 나타났다. 결론: 운전자의 운전능력을 생체능력을 중심으로 고찰하여 고령운전에 중에서 차량운전행태에 영향을 줄 수 있는 위험 연령대를 찾고자 하였다. 향후 고령운전자를 위한 정책과 신체적 차이점을 이해하는데 도움이 될 것으로 기대한다.
키워드
고령자
운전면허증
적성검사
인지
판단
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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Society of Disaster Information
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국재난정보학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국재난정보학회논문집
  • Volume : 18
  • No :3
  • Pages :622-635
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.15683/kosdi.2022.9.30.622
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