Driving Dilemmas

Components of driving competency measurement in the elderly: A scoping review

“…The driver must be able to respond to unusual and unexpected events while driving. On average, each driver needs 20 decisions to travel each mile, and it takes approximately half a second for a proper response to avoid a potential accident ( 50 ). Since integration in the functions required to drive has naturally diminished with age, the consequences of driving-related abilities also occur in addition to diseases of old age and medications used to relieve and treat them.…”

“…The prevalence of eye diseases such as cataracts, retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration also increases with age. These diseases not only reduce vision but also reduce the depth of vision and visual field that are associated with reduced ability to estimate distance and speed ( 50 ). The most common age-related eye diseases are cataracts and glaucoma ( 53 , 54 ).…”

“…Some of the important aspects to consider in the cognitive assessment of drivers include attention, reaction time, multitasking, visual processing, short-term and working memory, executive function, and visual search ( 33 , 50 ). Reducing any of the cognitive areas needed can have a negative impact on driving abilities that require decision-making and rapid response based on instantaneous situations ( 33 ).…”

“…As a result, the elderly may experience a feeling of overwhelming pressure, especially by signs, warnings, pedestrians, or other vehicles at intersections ( 3 ). Attention and multitasking decrease with age (approximately in the fifth decade of life) in healthy individuals ( 50 ).…”

“…Drivers with dementia experience traffic accidents 2.5 to 5 times more than those without dementia ( 59 ). It is worth noting that every elderly person with mild cognitive impairment or early stages of dementia does not necessarily have a high risk of driving, and any elderly without dementia definitely do not have the necessary driving competencies ( 50 ).…”