National policy needed on older drivers: study

WATERLOO, Ont. – A national study has just proven what the trucking industry has known for years, and has fought against – that there is no national policy for licensing older drivers.

The study, carried out by Anita Myers from the University of Waterloo, Brenda Vrkljan from McMaster University and Shawn Marshall from the University of Ottawa, shows the wide variance in dealing with aging drivers.

Requirements for licence renewal, reporting practices, appeals processes and options for restricted licences largely depend on where someone lives, according to the researchers,.

The study, funded by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation and Transport Canada, found little agreement between the provinces and territories on the best ways to identify and regulate older drivers who may present a risk to themselves and other road users.

The study is particularly relevant this year, which is not only the International Year of Road Safety, but also marks the year the oldest Canadian boomers begin turning 65. Transport Canada data shows that in 2009 there were 3.25-million licensed drivers aged 65 and older, 14 per cent of the total driving population. The volume of senior drivers is expected to more than double in the next decade.

"This has huge implications for transportation planners, licensing authorities, health professionals and taxpayers," said Myers, a professor of health studies and gerontology at Waterloo. "While older drivers are involved in proportionately fewer collisions than younger drivers, they are more likely to be seriously injured or die as a result. The rate of fatal collisions starts to rise at age 70 and continues to increase for drivers in their 80s and 90s."

As drivers age, they are more likely to develop vision and other health problems that may compromise driving safety. In some provinces, but not all, drivers are subjected to medical review once they turn 70, 75 or 80. Mass screening, however, is costly and apart from in-person renewal, has shown minimal impact on fatalities.

Experts agree that the focus should be on identifying potentially medically-at-risk drivers regardless of age and thoroughly assessing each person’s capabilities for continued safe driving. In most provinces, physicians are required to report patients they suspect are medically unfit to drive. This puts enormous pressure on doctors who have increasing numbers of older patients with chronic conditions and lack valid tools to determine fitness-to-drive.

Access to driver assessment centres, wait times and costs to drivers themselves also vary widely from province to province, according to the study.

For many seniors, driving is crucial for maintaining mobility and freedom. Surveys show that most would rather have restricted licences (such as no night or highway driving) rather than lose their driving privileges altogether. Licensing authorities are under pressure to expand restricted licences for older drivers, comparable to graduated licences for novice drivers.

Prior to the study, however, it was unclear which options were available across the country or how authorities monitor driver compliance with licence restrictions.