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. 2016 Jun;7(2):106-9.
doi: 10.1177/2151458516644818. Epub 2016 Apr 24.

The Geriatric Driver: Factors That Influence When to Stop Driving

Tochukwu C Ikpeze  1 , John C Elfar  2
Affiliations

The Geriatric Driver: Factors That Influence When to Stop Driving

Tochukwu C Ikpeze et al. Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2016 Jun.

Abstract

The increase in the growth of the elderly population in the past 2 decades has been paralleled by an increase in the number of active elderly drivers. Consequentially, this growth has been accompanied by a rise in fatal road-related accidents. Due to age-related fragility, elderly drivers are more susceptible to injuries and death following a road-related accident. The increased risk of accidents has become a growing public health issue and has led to certain guidelines and restrictions for elderly drivers. Moreover, the cognitive and physiological decline that exacerbates with age has encouraged preventative measures aimed at optimizing their ability to operate motor vehicles. Some of these include yearly vision, cognitive, motor, and mental assessment tests. Results obtained from these tests may help suggest when an elderly driver becomes unsuitable to drive.

Keywords: dementia; fragility fractures; geriatric medicine; geriatric trauma; systems of care.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Snellen chart (visual acuity test).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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