Associations of Visual Impairments and Motor Vehicle Accidents: NHIS 2016 Data Analysis

Motor vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death and injury. Drivers over the age of 75 are disproportionately responsible, and their number continues to grow. This population will become responsible for a larger percentage of collisions. Those who are likely to crash should not be allowed to drive, but a good method to decide this does not exist. Visual impairment is also related to motor vehicle collisions. Certain visual tests have been able to predict drivers' crash history better than other measures. The relationship between visual impairment and motor vehicle collisions has not been closely studied but could be used to identify the people at highest risk for motor vehicle collisions. The National Health Interview Survey collects information on both visual impairment and motor vehicle collisions. The data can be analyzed to see how the two are associated. A better understanding of this relationship would bring screening one step closer to identifying high-risk drivers, preventing motor vehicle collisions before they occur, and exploring why these populations are living with visual impairment in the first place.