Active mobility in higher age: Regular cycling is associated with maintaining car driving performance

Regular physical activity has the potential to improve a person's physical and cognitive performance. This is relevant for traffic safety and car driving, for example, when coping with complex driving situations. This study investigated whether physical activity in form of regular bicycle use has a positive effect on driving performance in older adulthood and on changes in performance over time. Longitudinal data on the development of driving behavior over a period of around six years were analyzed from 260 participants aged between 67 and 78 years at the baseline measurement. The influences of self-reported bicycle use on driving performance during an approximately 45-min driving simulation as well as on the development of driving performance was analyzed. In addition, EEG-based neurocognitive correlates of mental states while driving were explored from a subgroup of 145 participants. Regular bicycle use was not associated with better driving per se, but it was associated with less deterioration in driving behavior over the observation period. Regular bicycle use was also associated with a lower level of mental workload while driving, as suggested by lower EEG theta power. There were no associations with other physical activity (such as walking or fitness training), the participants' age, or their annual mileage. The results suggest that regular cycling as a combination of physical activity and active traffic participation is associated with maintaining driving competence in old age.