The objective of this study was to describe older adults’ opinions about driving cessation and driver retesting. Older adult (? 65 years) patients visiting the emergency department or geriatric clinic at a university hospital completed a confidential survey regarding attitudes toward driving tests and restrictions. The response rate was 50% (N = 169). The median age was 75 years (range, 65-98); 53% were women. Most reported driving at least occasionally (78%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 72-84). Twelve percent (95% CI, 7-18) reported a crash in the prior year; most (84%; 95% CI, 78-90) reported at least 1 medical diagnosis possibly linked to increased crash risk. Most participants (74%; 95% CI, 67-81) supported mandatory, age-based driver retesting but thought family (73%; 95% CI, 68-81) or physicians (60%; 95% CI, 54-69) should determine license revocation for an unsafe driver rather than the Department of Motor Vehicles (34%; 95% CI, 28-42) or the police (30%; 95% CI, 23-37). Almost all reported they would consider driving cessation if recommended by a physician (88%; 95% CI, 82-94) or family member (71%; 95% CI, 63-79), without significant age or sex differences. Older drivers support mandatory age-based testing but appear more likely to follow recommendations from physicians or family members, thereby supporting a role for physician counseling, driver evaluations, and advanced driving directives. (Author/publisher)
Abstract