A survey of attitudes and knowledge of geriatricians to driving in elderly patients

• Published in: Age and ageing Vol. 28; no. 1; pp. 53 - 57
• Main Authors: Gillespie, N D, McMurdo, M E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.01.1999; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Aged; Aged automobile drivers; Attitudes; Automobile Driving; Caregivers - psychology; Confidentiality; Dementia; Driving; Elderly drivers; Elderly people; Factors; Geriatricians; Geriatrics; Health Care Surveys - trends; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Health Services for the Aged; Humans; Knowledge; Motor vehicles; Older people; Physicians; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0002-0729; 1468-2834; 1468-2834
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/28.1.53

To assess the attitudes of consultant members of the British Geriatrics Society to elderly patients driving motor vehicles. An anonymous postal survey assessing knowledge and attitudes to driving in elderly people. A standardized questionnaire was used and five case histories were offered for interpretation. The study was co-ordinated from a teaching hospital. The 709 consultant members of the British Geriatrics Society. Four hundred and eighteen responses were obtained, which represents a 59% response rate. 275 Respondents (68%) correctly realised that a person aged 70 had a duty to inform the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) about their eligibility to drive. The remainder did not. Most (315; 75%) believed that the overall responsibility for informing the DVLA was with the patient. If a patient was incapable of understanding advice on driving because of advanced dementia, 346 (83%) would breach patient confidentiality and inform the authority directly. Where a patient was fully capable of understanding medical advice but ignored it, 72% of geriatricians would have legitimately breached patient confidentiality and informed the DVLA. Most geriatricians (88%) saw their main role as one of providing advice on driving to patients and their families. Enforcing DVLA regulations was not seen as an appropriate function, unless the patient was a danger to themselves or other drivers. There is a wide variation in knowledge of driving regulations and attitudes to driving in elderly patients. Better education of geriatricians should improve awareness of when elderly drivers can safely continue to drive.