Author Description

One factor that distinguishes older drivers from their younger and middle-aged counterparts is a higher prevalence of medical conditions, and the medications used to treat them. Often, the medical conditions that are more prevalent among older people lead to impairments in visual, cognitive, or psychomotor functions needed to drive safely. Similarly, while some medications restore function and improve mobility for those who would otherwise be unable to drive, an array of potentially driver impairing (PDI) prescriptions and over-the-counter medications have been associated with a statistically significant increase in crash risk.The current understanding of how medical conditions can affect driving is based on the opinions of medical (including rehabilitation) professionals or traffic safety experts, or has been derived from simulation research. Other studies have compared the driving records of drivers whose licenses were restricted as a result of reported medical conditions to those of matched controls with the same conditions who had full driving privilege. However, there is a dearth of empirical data about the relationships between medical conditions common among older adults and either performance or safety outcomes of drivers under realistic driving situations. Further, few studies have explored how people with such conditions may limit their driving exposure.