Older Driver Safety: A Survey of Psychologists’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and Practices

Abstract

Using an online survey, we examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices with respect to older driver safety concerns of clinical psychologists from across Canada who self-identified as working with at least some drivers over 60 years of age. Eighty-four psychologists completed the survey, and many were aware of the issues relevant to older driver safety, although only about half reported that assessing fitness to drive was an important issue in their practice. The majority (75%) reported that they would benefit from education concerning evaluation of fitness to drive. The primary recommendation emerging from this investigation is to increase efforts to inform and educate psychologists about driving-related assessment and regulatory issues in general, and specifically with respect to older adults. As the population ages, it is of growing importance for all health care providers to understand the influence of mental health conditions-including cognitive impairment and dementia-on driving skills.

Psychological and Cognitive Aspects of Ageing: The Importance of Driving on Senior Living

“…A usual question is if elderly citizens who have driven for many years without incident should have their licences suspended for failing a cognitive test based on paper questions. Even doctors do not reach consensus in this regard [80][81][82].…”