Driving Activity Analysis: Elderly Driving - OTA Program

This driving activity analysis, completed within an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program, examines the demands and skills necessary for driving, particularly focusing on elderly drivers. It addresses how cultural, physical, social, and personal contexts influence driving performance, and identifies factors that could interfere with safe driving, such as age, inexperience, and distractions. The analysis suggests modifications to maximize safety and independence, such as traffic police monitoring and mass education on safe driving. It also highlights community programs like CarFit to assist the elderly in improving their driving safety and social groups like the Red Hat Society for those who are no longer safe to drive, emphasizing the importance of social interaction and continued relevance. This assignment explores resources and interventions to support safe driving and maintain quality of life for the elderly population, with additional intervention plans and evidence for occupational therapy programs.

Running head: DRIVING ACTIVITY ANALYSIS
1
Driving Activity Analysis
Name
Institution
Professor
Course
Date

DRIVING ACTIVITY ANALYSIS 2
Name:
_________________________
OTA Program
Driving Activity Analysis
Instructions: Complete an activity analysis based on driving using the template below.
1. Area of Occupation:
The area of occupation is driving. Many people would like to drive safely but some people
such as the elderly and teenagers lack the permission to drive especially on public highway.
OTA programs assist the elderly to meet the conditions required to help the drive at an old
age.
2. Activity Demands and Skills needed:
Driving requires having multi-tasking, prediction, time management, communication,
coordination, and cooperation skills. One should be able to assess the traffic situation and
plan as they drive. They should also predict changes, communicate and cooperate well with
other drivers when there is traffic jam to avoid blocking the road. They are demanded to
have good eyesight, fine motor skills to coordinate hands and feet and have a functioning
brain (Gaines, Burke, Marx, Wagner, & Parrish 2011). The driver should ensure that the
vehicle is in good working conditions such as the breaks, side mirrors, and safety belts are
working.
3. Activity Contexts: (Identify how variables in the contexts of culture, physical, social &
personal could influence performance of the activity.)

DRIVING ACTIVITY ANALYSIS 3
Culture influences drivers’ attitudes, behaviors, manners, and norms concerning driving.
Some people accumulate unsafe behavior which may lead to accidents (Gaines et al.,
2011). One’s physical parts such as hands, legs, and eye coordination influence driving.
The road accommodates people from different social background thus their interaction
affects driving. Personal variables such as age, medication, alcoholism, and experience
affect driving.
4. What are conditions or factors, within the driver, that could interfere with safe
driving?
Conditions
Factors such as age, inexperience, alcoholism, distractions interfere with safe driving.
Driving at an old or early age, lacking enough experience and qualifications, driving while
drunk or under medication risks safe driving (Gaines et al., 2011). Distractions such as
stress, loss, and grief interfere with one’s alertness hence can cause accidents. Physical
impairments and sickness can make the experience unsafe as one might not be able to
respond to changes fast.
5. What modifications might you suggest to help maximize safety and independence?
The traffic police should monitor the drivers to ensure they have driving licenses, they are
not drunk and do not drive at high speed. There should be mass education on safe driving
to educate people to take precautions. To maximize independence one should gain enough
experience before driving alone. Those with disabilities should join programs and use tools
to help them drive on their own.
6. Identify and describe at least one specific program or resource in the community that
could help the elderly population with driving and explain why it is beneficial.

DRIVING ACTIVITY ANALYSIS 4
The elderly population can join the CarFit program to improve their safety while driving.
They can be helped in vehicle modifications to be able to use assistive technology for
driving such as electronic brake and gas. They help the seniors adjust rearview mirrors
properly to make blind spots minimal. They also adjust the steering wheel, the car for foot
positioning on brake pedals and gas (Gaines et al., 2011). Those with visual impairments
can receive rehabilitation services to develop compensatory visual impairment strategies.
7. Identify and describe at least one specific program or resource in the community that
an elderly person could benefit from when they are no longer safe to drive.
One can join social groups such as the Red Hat Society program. This can allow them to
give back to society through charitable endeavors. They can offer their expertise and
skills to others and benefit by making them feel that they have maintained relevance.
They will gain an opportunity for social interaction, make new friends and reconnect with
old friends. The experience will keep them busy and they will not feel isolated by staying
alone.

DRIVING ACTIVITY ANALYSIS 5
Reference
Gaines, J. M., Burke, K. L., Marx, K. A., Wagner, M., & Parrish, J. M. (2011). Enhancing older
driver safety: A driving survey and evaluation of the CarFit program. Journal of safety
research, 42(5), 351-358.