Collisions involving elderly drivers are more likely to include multiple vehicles and to result in serious injuries and fatalities, partially because the elderly have different driving patterns and because they have underlying frailties and comorbid disorders. Role of the Health Care Professional Elderly drivers with important functional deficits or with medical conditions that restrict function may decide to limit or stop driving, or they may continue to drive as usual, denying their limitations. Health care professionals become involved when they detect deficits during a routine examination, when family members seek guidance, or when elderly drivers solicit advice. Health care professionals should try to preserve a patient's autonomy and quality of life, but after evaluating an elderly driver, they may feel obligated to recommend cessation of driving. If any functional deficits are detected or suspected, the health care professional should counsel the elderly driver and family members and discuss issues relevant to the driver's transportation needs.
Social isolation resulting from fewer daily trips can lead to worsening functional status.
If the driver's functional limitations or medical status clearly warrants driving cessation, the health care professional should report the findings and recommendations to the Department of Motor Vehicles. If the patient's abilities are questionable, the health care professional should formally request an on-road evaluation by the Department of Motor Vehicles and consult with appropriate medical advisory boards for precise guidelines. Functional Assessment Motor, visual, and cognitive functions should be evaluated. Reaction time, which increases with the difficulty or number of choices, is important in driving. However, no reliable measure of reaction time is clinically useful.