This review, covering literature on age-related disabilities, their assessment, and their effects on driving, represents the initial step in developing an assessment system for identifying and evaluating the driving competency of older drivers with dementia or age-related frailty. Since frailty can be defined as a result of the combined effect of various pathologies superimposed upon the normal physiological changes of aging, emphasis is given to medical conditions which are more characteristic of elderly people. The relationships of these conditions to driving performance and safety are discussed, and nondriving and driving tests relevant to identifying and licensing frail or dementing elderly are described. There is a brief discussion of licensing and post-licensing control programs for elderly drivers in several jurisdictions, including graded licensing. A preliminary assessment protocol for identifying medically impaired elderly drivers and evaluating their driving ability is suggested. (Author/publisher)
Abstract