The Candrive/Ozcandrive prospective older driver study: Methodology and early study findings

Abstract

Although the vast majority of active, older drivers are safe drivers, health conditions and related functional declines associated with increasing age can affect driving ability. This is a concern for older drivers, their families, and the public, as well as government agencies. To address these issues, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Team in Driving in Older Persons (Candrive II) Research Program was funded in 2008 to create a prospective cohort of older active drivers to be followed for several years. In 2009 an Australian collaboration (Ozcandrive) joined the project funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant. This special issue describes the preliminary findings of the Candrive/Ozcandrive prospective study of 1300 older drivers in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The methodology for the study, description of the cohort and findings related to older driver health and effects on driving, as well as the utility of some existing older driver assessment tools used on this population, are described. Future findings from this ongoing study will lead to insights into older driver safety and tools that will ideally help keep older drivers safely on the road.