In 2020, approximately 48 million licensed drivers were older than 65 years. Within this age group, car crashes led to 7,480 deaths and 149,881 non-fatal injuries. Moreover, 17% of people older than 65 years (approximately 8.
2 million) experience mild cognitive impairment and are at increased risk for crashes. Accurate assessment of driving skills in these individuals cannot be done in a doctor's office. While there are existing driving safety evaluation programs for older adults, these assessments are not covered by Medicare.
Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, have analyzed the current landscape of driving safety evaluations and associated challenges in a viewpoint published in JAMA Neurology , calling for Medicare to cover driving safety evaluations that will equip healthcare professionals with critical information to determine whether a patient is competent to drive safely. Driving is a multifaceted activity that requires learned skills and the coordination of complex cognitive and physical functions. As we age, we are vulnerable to declines in our cognitive, visual and motor skills that can impact our ability to drive safely.
Therefore, it is imperative to support programs in our healthcare system that can evaluate driving safety of at-risk individuals in a manner analogous to Medicare's coverage of a fall risk assessment." Kirk Daffner, corresponding author Without the support of Medicare, the f.