Can Alzheimer's Disease Affect the Safety of the Road?

A recent study conducted by the University of Iowa indicates that people with early Alzheimer’s disease can show impairments in their driving ability compared to people without the disease. (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-09-alzheimers-driving_N.htm) The study observed 40 older adults diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s and compared them to a group of 115 older adult drivers without the disorder.

During a road test, the Alzheimer’s subjects showed an

average of 42 mistakes while the subjects without the disease showed an average of 33 mistakes. The most common of these mistakes was lane violations, which was about 50% higher in the Alzheimer’s subjects. This study helps to bring light to the potential danger that the Alzheimer population faces when driving. While many older adults in the early stages of the disease may show very little cognitive impairment, they may in fact manifest impairments in their abilities to drive safely.

This raises the question. Should people with Alzheimer’s disease be driving? People diagnosed with other neurological disorders such as epilepsy must follow a strict set of rules in order to drive, which can include obtaining a doctor’s note stating that they are fit to drive safely. Similar rules could be applied to people with Alzheimer’s disease to improve their safety on the road.

In combination with these laws, occupational therapy can help to improve the safety of this population on the road. One emerging area of occupational therapy is looking to help elderly patients modify their driving to ensure safety on the road. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 5 million Americans currently have the disease. Occupational therapists could greatly help this population by identifying their specific needs. Perhaps new tools and warning devices can be made for these patients. For example, sensors that could identify the driver of the cars that may be in their blind spot when switching lanes. With these added measures, the safety of these drivers as well as others on the road could be greatly improved.

Marcus, B. M. (2009). Early Alzheimer's can erode erode driving skills. Retrieved 28 February 2009, from http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-02-09-alzheimers-driving_N.htm