A community based survey of cognitive functioning, highway-code performance and traffic accidents in a cohort of older drivers.

Background: The DVLA allows driving in early dementia contingent on regular medical assessment. GPs and psychiatrists require validated and accessible assessments. Some studies have suggested that cognitive testing has utility in the assessment of driving capacity in elderly drivers.

The limited utility of the Mini-Mental State Examination in screening people over the age of 75 years for dementia in primary care.

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is used worldwide to assess cognitive status and it has been recommended for use in primary care to detect dementia. In this study, the MMSE was administered during annual health checks for patients over 75 years of age in nine practices by a member of the primary care team. The mean age was 80 years.