Risk of automobile accidents among elderly drivers with impairments or chronic diseases

Abstract

A case-control study was conducted in Quebec elderly men in order to document the risk of road accidents associated with impairments or chronic medical conditions. All 1,400 drivers who had had an accident with either mild bodily injury or only property damage during their 70th year in 1988 and 1989 were selected as cases from the accident file of the "Société de l'Assurance Automobile du Québec" (SAAQ). They were compared to 2,636 controls randomly selected among drivers of the same age. Information on medical conditions was also obtained for all subjects from the SAAQ. Mileage and driving habits were documented through a mail questionnaire. Relative risk of accidents associated with medical conditions were estimated while controlling for confounders. Overall, the results suggest that elderly drivers of private vehicles with impairments or chronic medical conditions are not at increased risk of road accidents. Only those with arrhythmias had a significant increase in risk (OR = 1.63, CI: 1.00-2.65). This study does not support more severe norms for elderly drivers.