Older Michigan drivers more confident, less ready to give up keys, study finds

Nine in 10 Michigan drivers 65 and older report they are ‘very confident’ in their driving ability
About half say they’re sure they will be safe drivers five years from now. Few have made plans
The poll is a wake-up call for policymakers, health care providers and loved ones, researchers say

Older Michigan drivers are more confident in their driving abilities compared to their counterparts in the rest of the nation and less likely to avoid driving at certain times.

But in a state aging faster than most others, they’re also less prepared to step away from the driver’s seat when the time comes.

The results of the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging are another warning shot for policymakers, especially in towns and rural areas where it can be difficult for nondrivers to reach a grocery store, make it to a doctor’s appointment or to see grandchildren and friends.

“We’re a very car-dependent society,” said researcher Renée St. Louis, an assistant research scientist for the National Poll on Health Aging and the Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging at the University of Michigan.

“So what happens when we’re no longer able to drive, or we’re not comfortable driving anymore?” she said.

Related:

More than half of respondents said they haven’t thought about what they’ll do once they can no longer drive.

That’s an issue in a state where about 1.9 million residents — nearly 1 in 5 — already are 65 or older and are a growing slice of the population.

That age group is increasing by 50,000 each year in Michigan — the equivalent of adding a city the size of East Lansing composed only of seniors, even as the state’s overall population has flatlined over the past decade.

And across the US, even the youngest Baby Boomer will be at least 65 by 2030, according to the US Census.

The U-M poll based its national data on surveys of 2,883 respondents ages 50 to 97, while Michigan-specific analysis was based on 1,353 Michigan adults ages 50 to 95. Comparisons can be found on this online dashboard.

(Editor’s note: The Michigan portion of the survey was funded by the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. The fund is a financial supporter of the Center for Michigan, Bridge Michigan’s nonprofit parent. Funders play no role in Bridge’s journalism.)

Among the findings:

Nine of 10 — 90 % — of older Michiganders say they’re safe drivers, compared to 81% of their counterparts in other states, a possible nod to surviving Michigan’s wintry roads year after year, St. Louis said.
Michigan drivers were less likely than their peers to avoid certain driving conditions — 64% of Michigan’s older drivers, compared to 68% elsewhere. That’s possibly a result of personal preference rather than aging, St. Louis said.
Looking ahead, 52% of older drivers in Michigan are very confident they’ll be able to drive safely five years from now, compared with 43% of older drivers elsewhere.
Less than half of the Michigan and national respondents don’t have a back-up transportation plan — 39% of the Michigan respondents compared to 46% of the respondents elsewhere.

Stuck without a ride

As Bridge Michigan has previously reported, gaps in transportation create a lonely existence for many Michiganders.

Perception, reflexes and cognition falter as we age, making complex processing more difficult, especially at intersections and in busy traffic. Addressing those risks, drivers begin to “self regulate,” driving less often, especially at times they feel less confident, St. Louis said.

That, and experience, counts.

Older drivers — at least until they are 75 years old — cause accidents less often than their younger counterparts, according to both Michigan data and the National Safety Council.

And life without keys can be difficult.

In urban areas, some older Michiganders have difficulty navigating complicated public transportation or paying for ride-sharing services. For some, a disability impedes their ability to get to a bus stop or get into a vehicle not fitted for their needs. In rural areas, public transportation and ride-sharing services aren’t always available.

The U-M poll also found that older Michiganders were also less likely than their peers nationwide to have used a rideshare or taxi service in the last year — 12% of the Michigan respondents compared to 21% of the respondents elsewhere.

Some rural health advocates have pushed policymakers to house nonemergency medical transportation services, at least, within EMS providers.

In a separate survey of 84 adults 60 and older who received home-delivered meals in Iosco County, about 1 in 4 reported disruptions in health care because they lacked the ability to drive. About 1 in 10 said they delayed or missed a medical appointment because of it. The full findings of that survey, conducted in 2023 and 2024, are expected to be published next month in the Michigan Journal of Public Health.

Such results carry implications, too, for organizations that provide services to older adults and for family members seeking assistance now or planning for the future. Expanding, or even raising awareness, about transportation options could help more older adults maintain independence, researchers said.

Health providers have a role, too, researchers said. Yet the poll found that very few older drivers — just 6% — have talked with a health care provider about driving.

The national and Michigan polls were conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and the U-M Transportation Research Institute. The transportation institute has helped create the state’s “Safe Drivers, Smart Options,” website for older drivers, their families and service providers.