Driving licences and medical screening in old age : review of literature and European licensing policies.

Author(s)
Siren, A.K. & Haustein, S.
Year
Abstract

Chronological age, per se, seems to be, in the case of mature drivers, only a weak predictor of safe driving performance. However, screening policies based on chronological age are widely used. Nevertheless, lately, more evidence-based policies have been called for. In this paper we first, investigate the evidence for and against having an age-based driver screening policy in place; second, we map and compare the current driving licensing policies in European Union (EU) member states in order to examine the variation; and third, we draw conclusions based on the literature and the policy mapping and provide policy recommendations. We find no evidence from the literature demonstrating that the benefits from age-based driver screening would outweigh the disadvantages, and we find the European policies, to a large extent, coercive and not evidence based. Based on research evidence, the policies are likely to limit the mobility and potentially worsen the safety of older persons. (Author/publisher)

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Publication

Library number
20200325 ST [electronic version only]
Source

Journal of Transport and Health, Vol. 2 (2015), No. 1 (March), p. 68-78, ref.

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This publication is one of our other publications, and part of our extensive collection of road safety literature, that also includes the SWOV publications.