Driver licensing policies and practices : gearing up for an aging population. Project summary report.

In December of 2007, the AAA Foundation hosted a workshop on driver license policies, specifically focused on medically at-risk drivers who tend to be older. The goal of the workshop was to synthesize present knowledge regarding driver screening, assessment and license renewal policies, and to develop consensus recommendations for improving driver licensing policy and practice. Workshop attendees also prioritized research needs for accomplishing these objectives. As a follow-up to the above License Policy workshop, the Foundation, in collaboration with researchers Jane Stutts and Jean Wilkins, began work on a project documenting North American driver's license agency approaches for improving safety for older and medically at-risk drivers. The project surveyed state and provincial licensing officials to obtain updated information on current policies and practices. Additional detail was gathered on promising or innovative programs and activities that might be replicated elsewhere. The information is summarized in a searchable database for use by driver licensing officials, policy makers, aging services providers, researchers, and media personnel, as well as older adults and their families. No single state or province does it all right. This project produced a single, web-based resource that can be used to compare approaches being taken across North America. Licensing officials are able to identify promising approaches in areas of license renewal requirements, examiner and staff training, driver screening and assessment, driver medical review, reporting of at-risk drivers, assistance with mobility options, and public education and awareness. In recent years, researchers have compiled best practices for dealing with aging and mobility issues in general. This project focuses more specifically on issues related to driver licensing, and takes a more long-term approach by creating a web database of current practices, policies, and contacts. A key strength is that both the database and any printed reports derived from it will be updated as best practices evolve and contacts change over time. The database can be viewed through our senior driver website at License Policy and Practices at http://lpp.seniordrivers.org/lpp/. (Author/publisher)