Effective January 1, 2004, Florida requires that drivers ages 80 and older must pass a visual acuity test when renewing their driver’s license. The objective of this study was to document the experiences of older drivers who are the subject of this law. Florida residents ages 80 and older whose driver’s licenses were scheduled to expire (if not renewed) between January 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005 were identified by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. A random sample was drawn, and those for whom phone numbers were obtained were surveyed (n=1,242 drivers) regarding their experiences with the renewal process. Demographic and health-related information was also collected as was information regarding driving behaviour. The majority (80.2%) of those eligible for license renewal attempted to do so, and 88.0% succeeded the first time they tried. A large percentage of drivers who failed the vision test said they sought treatment, and 77.6% of drivers who reattempted renewal ultimately passed the test. Thus, 93% of drivers attempting to renew their licenses were successful. About half of drivers who did not seek renewal said they thought they would fail the vision test. Compared to those who successfully renewed their license, those who did not attempt to do so were significantly older, more likely to be female and single, and in poorer health. Only a small proportion of Florida drivers ages 80 and older were denied license renewal because they failed a visual acuity test. The majority of those choosing not to renew their license, or who failed to pass the vision test, reported using transportation alternatives. (Author/publisher)
Abstract