[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-295463-105":59,"doc-detail-295463-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","assessing-elderly-people-to-drive-practical-considerations","Assessing Elderly People to Drive - Practical Considerations","","Older drivers often experience functional decline and multiple health problems that can cumulatively reduce driving ability, and they face higher fatality and serious-injury risks in crashes. General practitioners are central to fitness-to-drive assessment, focusing on vision, motor function, and cognition, and seeking additional information when needed. The article also outlines practical decision points, including when to stop driving after seizures or hypoglycaemia, and how medications may impair driving.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/assessing-elderly-people-to-drive-practical-considerations/295463/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/assessing-elderly-people-to-drive-practical-considerations/295463.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Anda","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-09-18",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":44},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why is fitness-to-drive assessment important for elderly people?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Because age-related functional decline and health problems can reduce driving ability, and elderly people are more likely to be killed or seriously disabled in motor vehicle crashes than younger people.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What should GPs assess when screening elderly drivers?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Vision (acuity, visual fields), motor function (joint function, muscle strength, coordination), and cognition. Additional information on overall functioning may be required from relatives and neighbours.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"When should a patient cease driving according to the document?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"In the event of hypoglycaemic episodes and seizures, patients should cease driving and follow appropriate guidance for assessment and referral.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},295463,1789990995,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":44,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":24,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144},962075006959,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/e0002397efbe92a78e?_k=1776741047341049297","clinical practice   \nilian Kamenoff  \nMBBS, GradDipForenMed, is Government Medical Officer – Wide Bay Area, and a general practitioner, Bundaberg, Queensland. [kamenoff@gmail.com](kamenoff@gmail.com)  \nassessing elderly people to drive  \nPractical considerations  \nBackground  \nOlder drivers are likely to suffer declines in functioning and a number of health problems that may cumulatively affect driving ability. When involved in a motor vehicle accident, elderly people are more likely tobe killed or seriously disabled than younger people.  \nObjective  \nThis article provides an overview of the assessment for fitness to drive with emphasis on important practical points.  \nDiscussion  \nGeneral practitioners play a vital role in the assessment of elderly drivers. Consider assessing patients over the age of 75 years and patients who present with multiple disabilities, for fitness to drive. Screening for safe driving includes assessment of vision (acuity, visual fields), motor function (joint function, muscle strength, coordination) and cognition. Additional information may be required about overall functioning from relatives and neighbours. If doubt remains the patient should be referred for a practical driving assessment.  \n Globally, death and injury resulting from road traffic accidents are a major, and growing, public health concern. united nations population projections indicate that people aged 60 years and over will account for ever greater numbers of all country populations over the next 30 years.1 Due to decline in functional capacity, elderly people are more likely to be killed or seriously injured compared to those aged 18–59 years when involved in a motor vehicle crash.1  \nMost people consider driving critical for continued independence, employment and recreation. This is especially true for elderly people who rely on driving for many of their activities ([eg. shopping](eg. shopping), visiting relatives, doctor’s appointments) . The risk of a driving licence being withdrawn can invoke strong emotions and the loss of the ability to be independently mobile can have devastating psychological effects. The need to find a balance between the risk to the patient and other road users and driver rights, further adds to the GP's responsibility when assessing the fitness of elderly patients to drive.2  \nCurrently in Australia, only Victoria and the Northern Territory have not introduced mandatory medical assessment for elderly drivers ( Table 1) . The age of assessment differs in each state.  \nMedical conditions that can affect driving include epilepsy and diabetes mellitus. Patients should be informed that in the case of hypoglycaemic episodes and seizures, they should cease driving ( Table 2) . Some medications can adversely affect brain function to the point where driving skills are impaired. These include benzodiazepines, narcotics, antihistamines and anticonvulsants ( Table 3) . The administration of multiple drugs, or drugs in combination with alcohol, can worsen detrimental effects on driving.  \nKey factors for safe driving  \nThere are three main key factors for safe driving:  \n• vision  \n• motor function, and  \n• cognition.  \nassessing elderly people to drive – practical considerations  \nclinical practice  \n| Table 1. Regulatory requirements for driver testing3* |  |  |  |  |  |  |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| state/territory |  Vision test |  |  medical assessment |  |  road test |  |\n| Australian Capital Territory |  | For all drivers on initial license and on each renewal, then at age\u003Cbr>50, 60, 65, 70 and 75 years; annually thereafter |  | At 75 years and annually thereafter |  | Public passenger vehicle drivers at initial application, after age 70 years and when recommended by doctor/police |\n| New South Wales |  | Vision test for all driverson initial application and\u003Cbr>on each renewal and replacement |  | At 80 years and annually thereafter |  | Annually from 85 years From 80 years for holders of R a","cbCaioH4lqUQVYIl","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaioH4lqUQVYIl","pdf",312951,"English","# Practical considerations\n## Background and objective\n## GP role and screening domains\n## Key factors for safe driving\n## Vision and driving","[{\"question\":\"Why is fitness-to-drive assessment important for elderly people?\",\"answer\":\"Because age-related functional decline and health problems can reduce driving ability, and elderly people are more likely to be killed or seriously disabled in motor vehicle crashes than younger people.\"},{\"question\":\"What should GPs assess when screening elderly drivers?\",\"answer\":\"Vision (acuity, visual fields), motor function (joint function, muscle strength, coordination), and cognition. Additional information on overall functioning may be required from relatives and neighbours.\"},{\"question\":\"When should a patient cease driving according to the document?\",\"answer\":\"In the event of hypoglycaemic episodes and seizures, patients should cease driving and follow appropriate guidance for assessment and referral.\"}]","Assessing Elderly People to Drive - Practical Considerations | PDF",1789719172,13]