Abstract: Driving is critical for older rural adults who are afforded far fewer transportation options or driving alternatives. However, age-related changes present challenges from a driving perspective. To address these problems, the VTTI research team has established a pilot program: ROAD TRIP (Rural Older Adult Driver Tailored Research-Integrated Plan). ROAD TRIP customizes mobility recommendations for rural older adults who have expressed concerns related to their unmet transportation needs. Countermeasures are tailored to each participant. Pilot participants have received this 2 program enthusiastically and preliminary results have shown improvements in situational awareness and reduced secondary task engagement, among others. ROAD TRIP is the only known program developed by transportation safety experts that integrates a suite of driver assessments to develop targeted recommendations tailored for the individual rural older adult. However, the program as initially implemented is inherently limited in scope due to the involved and hands-on data collection and analysis approach. This presentation will discuss efforts to evolve the ROAD TRIP Program in an effort to expand its impact.

Jon Antin, Ph.D., is a Certified Human Factors Professional with more than 35 years of experience in the field. He currently serves as Vulnerable Road User Safety Group Lead at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). Dr. Antin has led several projects related to older adult driver safety and mobility emphasizing the effects of capability, behavior, training, generational affiliation, and attitude. He currently serves as the Research Program Manager for CATM, and he is also a member of the Equity Council for the Region 4 UTC - Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2), also housed at NC A&T. Overall, he has been responsible for securing and/or managing research funding in excess of $30M at VTTI. Dr. Antin earned his B.S. in Psychology at L.S.U. and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (Human Factors Option) at Virginia Tech.