Doctors and other health care professionals play an important role in supporting the safety of older drivers. The American Medical Association encourages physicians to make driver safety a routine part of patient care.
Clinician's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers
The American Geriatrics Society and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) developed the Clinician's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers, 4th Edition to help health care practitioners prevent motor vehicle crashes and injury to older adults.
The Clinician's Guide provides practical tools to help clinicians better identify older drivers who may be at increased risk for crashes, and help enhance their driving safety. It also includes resources to support older adults and their families in easing the transition to driving retirement if and when it becomes necessary.
Visit the Clinician's Guide page to learn more.
Driver Rehabilitation Specialists
Health care professionals—often occupational therapists—with specialized training in driver rehabilitation are called Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (DRS). A DRS can provide comprehensive driving evaluations, either in a clinic or on the road, to better understand an individual's physical, visual, and cognitive abilities related to driving.
They work with drivers to build on existing strengths and may offer strategies to support safer driving. This could include tips to improve driving skills, recommendations for vehicle modifications, or adjustments to driving habits, such as avoiding challenging intersections or left turns.
If a DRS is not available, referral to a general occupational therapist can be a helpful first step. Driving is considered an instrumental activity of daily living (IADL), and an occupational therapist can help assess the skills needed for safe driving and identify areas for improvement. They can also help guide next steps and determine if a referral to a DRS is appropriate.
To find a certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist, visit aded.net.
Florida's Health Care and Social Service Needs Assessment
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) contracted with researchers from SRA Research Group, Inc. to develop an assessment tool and conduct a statewide survey to better understand how health care professionals and older adult service organizations support the prevention and early recognition of at-risk drivers.
This research project, titled "Health Care Providers and Older Adult Service Organizations to Assist in the Prevention and Early Recognition of Florida's At-Risk Drivers", helped Safe Mobility for Life establish baseline insights into current practices, knowledge, interest, and resource needs across the state.
The results provide a snapshot of how professionals are currently addressing driving safety with older adults in Florida. Key findings included:
- The majority of both medical professionals and social service providers are already having the conversation.
- 85% of medical professionals and 87% of social service providers report discussing driving with adults age 50 and over
- Common barriers to discussing driving included:
- Lack of resources to assess (55%)
- No transportation options to offer (50%)
- Not driving may negatively impact quality of life (49%)
- Lack of resources to educate (41%)
- No time to assess (40%)
- Topics most often discussed:
- Planning for the future (56%)
- Talking about ways to drive safely (52%)
- The majority (88%) feel a simple screening tool to help identify and better predict at-risk drivers would be helpful.
- The majority (88%) agree that identifying at-risk drivers is everyone's responsibility.
- Top resources requested:
- Florida's Guide to Safe Mobility for Life
- Local Transportation Options
- FDOT's SafeMobilityFL.com
Safe Mobility for Life continues to use these findings to guide the development and dissemination of educational materials and resources that support health care providers, aging service organizations, and communities in recognizing and reporting at-risk drivers.
Medical Reporting
Under Florida law, any physician, agency, family member, or member of the public, who knows of a licensed driver's mental or physical condition that may make them unsafe to drive is authorized to report this information to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
Health care providers are in a unique position to recognize when a medical condition may affect a patient's ability to drive safely. In some cases, this may include considering whether a referral for medical review is appropriate.
Florida's Medical Advisory Board reviews physician evaluations of medically at-risk drivers and provides recommendations to the FLHSMV. Understanding this process can help guide conversations with older drivers about safe driving and next steps.
To learn more about Florida's Medical Advisory Board, reporting considerations, and related laws, visit our Laws page.