INTRODUCTION
I chose car accidents in Japan and assess the problem in this learning journal. Traffic accidents are events that occur as a result of movement activities rooted in human life, such as work and shopping. However, Japan is facing a super-aging society, and the number of car traffic accidents increases as the number of elderly license holders increases. As a premise, dementia and cognitive decline in elderly drivers hinder the momentary correct judgment required for safe driving. I will design a cohort study to estimate the factors that cause traffic accidents caused by drivers aged 75 and over based on statistical data on Japanese driver's license holders over aged 75, and data on traffic accidents that have occurred throughout Japan.
Problem
The number of fatal traffic accidents in Japan caused by drivers age 75 or over was 346 cases in 2021, and "of Japanese fatal traffic accidents last year, elderly drivers accounted for 15.1% — a record high" (JIJI, 2022, para.2). "The number of fatal traffic accidents caused by elderly drivers per 100,000 people stood at 5.7, over double the 2.6 among drivers under 75 years old", and we can see that traffic accident caused by people aged 75 and over are a serious problem (JIJI, 2022, para.4).
Study Design
Due to a series of accidents caused by older people, the Road Traffic Law was revised in 2020, making various intelligence tests and driving skill tests mandatory for those aged 75 and over to renew their driver's licenses (JIJI, 2022). In order to renew their driver's license, they must go to the police station and take and pass a vision test, an intelligence test, and a skill test. Also, general driver's licenses are renewed once every five years, but those aged 71 and over must renew every three years, and those who have problems but do not have their licenses revoked once a year. In this way, a wealth of information about older drivers is collected regularly, and I will use this information and data in our research.
In this case, I will use a prospective cohort study (Kanchanaraksa, 2008). I will identify various factors that lead to traffic accidents to some extent before starting the study and track changes in the health status and driving skills of the elderly and their results over time. For example, I score elements such as memory, spatial awareness, judgment, and attention in tests and observe how they change with age. I will also measure how these factors are related to outcomes (accidents and traffic violations) and finally estimate the factors that cause traffic accidents and assess the problem of traffic accidents caused by the elderly.
Why do I use Cohort study
A cohort study is a study that traces a group of people with some common characteristics, observes what kind of diseases or events have occurred in that group, and tries to clarify the relationship with various factors (Kanchanaraksa, 2008).
The reasons I employ a cohort study to assess this issue are below.
・There is an abundance of detailed data and information on elderly drivers and traffic accidents due to the characteristics of the Japanese legal system
・It is relatively easy to identify the cause because many tendencies and diseases peculiar to the elderly have already been studied.
・It is possible to distinguish the target person by age and intelligence test
・It is possible to evaluate the relationship between changes and outcomes in multiple health conditions, etc.
CONCLUSION
Traffic accidents caused by people aged 75 and over is a social problem in Japan. Dementia and cognitive decline in elderly drivers hinder the momentary correct judgment required for safe driving. I will use a prospective cohort study to estimate the factors that cause traffic accidents and assess the problem of traffic accidents caused by the elderly. I will score their memory, spatial awareness, judgment, and attention on tests continuously taking advantage of license renewal opportunities, and observe how they change with age, also measure how these factors are related to outcomes (accidents and traffic violations).
Thank you for your instruction, professor. (671 words)
References
JIJI. (2022). Elderly drivers cause 346 Deadly Road Accidents in 2021. The Japan Times. Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/03/03/national/elderly-drivers-deadly-accidents-2021/
Kanchanaraksa, S. (2008). Cohort studies [PowerPoint file]. John Hopkins University. Retrieved from https://my.uopeople.edu/pluginfile.php/1635147/mod_book/chapter/380237/Lecture13.pdf
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