In this issue of the Journal, Lipski addresses the important topic of driving by people with dementia. Although older drivers drive fewer kilometres than younger drivers, and are less likely to drive at night or in heavy traffic, their crash rate per kilometre driven may be the highest of any age group, and they are more likely to be killed when involved in a crash. Several retrospective studies have found that people with dementia are involved in more accidents than age-matched control subjects, and that many drivers with dementia continue to drive despite having had crashes. Notably, these studies do not agree on issues such as whether the duration of the dementia is an accurate predictor of driving ability, and many rely on reports by caregivers of driving history and crashes, the reliability of which are uncertain. (Author/publisher)
Abstract