Many older drivers who take medications that could affect their performance behind the wheel are unaware of the risks associated with those drugs, according to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Just 28% of people ages 56-93 knew that their medicines could affect their driving ability, according to detailed interviews of 630 adults in Alabama conducted from September through December. Perhaps most unsettling, researchers found that the drivers' awareness of potential side effects decreased with age just as the number of prescription medications people take increased.
The number of drivers age 55 and older is expected to increase by more than half by 2030, according to the AAA Foundation, a non-profit research group working to prevent traffic crashes and reduce injuries.
"We as a society are not getting the message to these older drivers," says Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation. "Health care professionals need to do a better job of educating patients. Family members of older drivers need to be much more engaged. They need to find out what medications their relatives are on, talk to a pharmacist if necessary. It's something that could avoid a catastrophe."
AARP, the lobbying group representing people 50 and older, endorses the AAA Foundation's findings, says Nancy Thompson, an AARP spokeswoman. "AARP believes that driving wellness is a critical issue not only for older drivers but for everyone," she says.
Thompson says AARP supports American Medical Association policies that encourage doctors to inform patients about the effects of their health condition and medication on their driving. In addition, she says, the organization "advises consumers not to drive until they know the effects of their medication on their body."
Kissinger says the survey found "some evidence that people who were still married did seem to be a little more aware. It underscores the need for family members to get involved."
Older drivers are involved in a small proportion of all crashes, and they're involved in fewer fatal drunken-driving crashes than any other adult age group, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, older drivers have the highest crash rate per mile traveled.
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