Most remain mum on driving ability

While many older medical patients are perfectly willing to talk with their physician about the most sensitive details of their health, there is one crucial aspect of a senior's well being that usually is not discussed--the ability to drive safely.

An online survey of health care professionals conducted by AAA, Washington, D.C., the nation's largest motoring association, and the U.S. Bone and Joint Decade, Rosemont, Ill., a multidisciplinary initiative targeting the care of people with musculoskeletal conditions, reveals that older patients rarely ask about their ability to continue driving safely during medical consultations, even though they have a much higher risk of crashes and are more likely to die when in a crash than those in other age groups.

Despite the apparent hesitancy of seniors to talk about their driving ability, 84% of the physicians and nurses surveyed believe hospitals and doctors' offices should provide motor vehicle injury prevention information to their elderly patients. However, while nearly 80% of respondents agree that patient education about traffic safety is "very or somewhat effective," only 23% report that their healthcare facility makes such information available.

"This survey highlights the important, but often neglected, connection between driving and health," notes Bella Dinh-Zarr, AAA director of Traffic Safety Policy. "Car crashes are one of the top 10 causes of death for people of all ages and older people are especially vulnerable to death and injury when they are in a crash. Doctors and nurses are respected sources of information, so patient education is vital in helping seniors to drive safely."

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