3 Questions: Joseph Coughlin on aging and driving
An aging population brings with it a new set of demands — such as the need to ensure safety among older drivers. As the Baby-Boomer generation begins reaching retirement age, this seems likely to become a growing concern. Joseph Coughlin, the founder and director of MIT’s AgeLab, and director of the New England University Transportation Center, testified this week in Washington at a forum on aging and driving held by the National Transportation Safety Board. Coughlin, who also teaches transportation policy in the MIT Engineering Systems Division, sat down to discuss the issue with MIT News.Q. Many of us think about age and auto safety primarily in terms of younger drivers, not older ones. What are the primary problems surrounding aging drivers, and how acute are those issues?A. We do tend to focus on the young as a safety issue. And while it is correct to do so, if you...