Behind the wheel

A Program for Older Drivers

Q: How can I tell if my father should no longer be driving?

A: The White House Conference on Aging has endorsed a CD-ROM by the American Automobile Association that helps older drivers identify problems with their driving ability. It's called AAA Roadwise Review and can be used on any home or library computer.

The program is the result of 6 years of research spearheaded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA). In pilot tests of the program, researchers found that drivers who exhibited significant impairment in their driving abilities were 2 to 5 times more likely to cause an automobile accident than drivers without impaired driving abilities.

Is the program worth taking? In my view, yes. And the statistics back me up. Older drivers are more likely to be hurt in an accident, even though they're more likely to wear seat belts and less likely to drink and drive or speed. What's more, it takes them longer to recover from their injuries than other populations. Save for teenagers, older drivers also have the highest crash-death-rate per mile. The most common crash factors are a failure to yield right-of-way, improper left turns, confusion in heavy traffic, inattention, complications while backing up, failure to maintain a proper speed, and hesitation when responding to new traffic signs, signals or pavement markings.

Here's what the program assesses:

• Leg strength and general mobility: ability to brake and accelerate under regular conditions and to respond in emergencies.
• Head/neck flexibility: ability to check blind spots when backing up, changing lanes or merging in traffic.
• High-contrast visual acuity: ability to detect pavement markings, read road signs and spot hazards in or near the road.
• Low visual acuity: ability to maintain lane position and drive safely in rain, dusk, haze and fog.
• Working memory: ability to follow directions, remember traffic rules and regulations, and make good driving decisions.
• Visualization of missing information: ability to recognize and anticipate a threat or hazard even when partially hidden from view.
• Visual search: ability to recognize traffic signs, signals, navigational landmarks and hazards.
• Visual information-processing speed: ability to pay attention to what's in front of the driver and at the edge of the driver's visual field.

At the end of each test, your father will get a summary of results and advice on how to address any driving issues. If significant driving problems are identified, he'll be advised to see a physician, an occupational therapist or a certified driving rehabilitation specialist. If all is well, your father can use the results as a baseline to track changes over time.

People I've spoken to have found Roadwise Review easy to follow and say they like the opportunity to assess their driving abilities in private. If they've done well, they feel more confident. If not, they know what to do to prevent an accident in the future. Contact your local American Automobile Association (AAA) affiliate to get information for older drivers.

Reviewed by: Val Jones, MD
Date reviewed: January 31, 2007