The role of concordance between perceived and real competence for mobility outcomes. A commentary on: increasing mobility and reducing accidents of older drivers.

This paper describes how reductions in mobility can restrict a person's life space, sometimes with the negative outcomes of social isolation and depression. Because any substantial loss of mobility is always a threat to a person's independence and well-being, there needs to be a concerted effort to keep people mobile. Unfortunately, a wide variety of medical conditions can adverse affect mobility. In these cases, it is especially important to attend to mobility needs and extend personal mobility for as long as possible. At the same time, this effort must be balanced with the knowledge that mobility in the face of competence declines can be a serious threat to the safety of the person, and even to others. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of competence declines that can reduce the ability to drive safely.