Driver safety in older adults. The physician's role in assessing driving skills of older patients.

Physicians play an important role in addressing driving safety issues with their patients. This is especially true when age-associated changes, medical conditions and medications are likely to increase crash risk. Unfortunately, physicians have little or no training in determining crash risk. Furthermore they are reluctant to alienate their patients by raising concerns about driving. In response to a growing need, the American Medical Association (AMA), with support from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has produced materials to help physicians approach this issue. This article provides background about the aging and medical influences on driving, a summary of selected information from the AMA guide, and additional resources.