Citation

Ross LA, Anstey KJ, Kiely KM, Luszcz MA, Byles JE, Mitchell P. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 2010; 58(6): 1213-1214.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02894.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We appreciate the important issues detailed by O'Callaghan and O'Neill, although our reading of the evidence is that, despite the majority of safe older drivers, there is a proportion of older drivers who may be unsafe because of cognitive impairment. Given population aging, the size of this subgroup will increase. Persons classified as cognitively impaired (including those with a mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 26.5 or MMSE scores of ≤26) have demonstrated poorer driving performance in on-road driving assessments, crashes, driving simulators, and other performance measures. Although many older adults may begin to modify their driving behaviors, reducing their exposure to higher-risk situations, such modifications may not be sufficient for drivers who are at greater risk of crashing. Our study identifies a large proportion of older drivers with MMSE scores of 26 or lower. Additionally, the sample is likely to be biased toward higher-functioning older adults because of selection effects at entry to the studies, hence underestimating the numbers with possible cognitive impairment.