Primary objectives of this study were to assess whether driving assessment facilitates continued driving in people with dementia and whether driving assessment reduces accidents in people with dementia. The secondary objective was to assess the quality of research on assessment of drivers with dementia. No studies were found that met the inclusion criteria. A description and discussion of the driving literature relating to assessment of drivers with dementia relating to the primary objectives was presented. The authors concluded that in an area with considerable public health impact for drivers with dementia and other road users, the available literature fails to demonstrate the benefit of driver assessment for either preserving transport mobility or reducing motor vehicle accidents. Driving legislation and recommendations from medical practitioners require further research that addresses these outcomes in order to provide the best outcomes for both drivers with dementia and the general public. (Author/publisher)
Abstract