OTTAWA – Comedian Jerry Seinfeld may have been onto something when he once asked: "What is that age that old people reach where they decide when they back out a driveway, they’re not looking anymore?"
The answer, according to some Canadian doctors, represents the problem: They don’t know.
While research has shown senior driving starts to take a wrong turn after 75, doctors say it’s not the same for everybody.
The absence of a standardized system for physicians to identify driving abilities in seniors marks a "growing problem" in society, says an editorial in this month’s Canadian Medical Association Journal.
"As a general rule, you start getting more and more problems as you age, and as a general rule, you shouldn’t be driving. The question is, when is that point?" asked Dr. Paul Hebert, the author and CMAJ editor-in-chief, in an interview.
In his editorial, co-written with Dr. Noni MacDonald and others, Hebert says with one in four Canadians turning 65 and older by 2025, doctors need an "objective assessment tool to help them determine whether a senior is able to drive safely."
"A simple, widely applicable screening assessment tool is sorely needed," it continues.
As it stands, doctors in seven of 10 provinces must write to provincial transport authorities to express concerns about a senior driver, 65 years and older. However, Hebert says this poses a problem for physicians because while they assess health, they cannot say who is and isn’t a bad driver.
The consequences of stripping a senior’s licences also hang heavy in doctors’ minds, he said.
The editorial recommends a "reverse graduated licence" program, used in some parts of the country, to prepare seniors for "driving retirement."
Such conditional licences could limit driving at night or highway driving.
One national project, called Candrive, is a study funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and will spend five years with 1,000 senior drivers aged 70 and over across Canada.
The goal of that project is to create a screening tool to better identify at-risk drivers, and also to test the effectiveness of a graduated license model.
"The overall goal is to keep older drivers on the road, and to keep them safer," said Dr. Shawn Marshall, one of the study’s investigators, who added many senior drivers are some of the best and safest on the road.
"Right now, we do not have valid screening tools to say what are the predictors of someone being safe to drive or not safe to drive," he said.
Examples of health conditions that could affect one’s ability to drive include dementia, stroke, diabetes, and vision problems, such as cataracts and glaucoma.
The editorial also suggests a national dialogue on how to support seniors who are no longer able to drive, and also recommends carpooling and shuttle services for seniors to get groceries or to socialize.
The Candrive study still needs volunteers. To participate, call 1-866-233-1133.
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