Many Seniors Oblivious to Dangers of Taking Medications and Driving

A majority of older drivers are not aware of the potential risk of driving while under the influence of medications such as ACE inhibitors, sedatives or beta-blockers, according to a new study (PDF) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) Center for Injury Sciences.

ScienceDaily reported Aug. 13 that the study found that while 95 percent of drivers age 55 and older have one or more illnesses, and 78 percent are on one or multiple medications, only 28 percent knew the impact these medicines could have on their ability to drive.

Of the more than 600 drivers ages 56 to 93 who were surveyed, only 18 percent said they were warned by a health-care provider about potential driver-impairing (PDI) medications.  Even as the amount of their medications or medical conditions increased, the volume of warnings they received did not increase, according to the study.

“These findings indicate that health-care professionals need to take a more active role in educating their patients about the risks of PDI medications,” said Paul MacLennan, Ph.D., the lead author of the study and an assistant professor at UAB. “Society needs to understand that PDI mediations are a driving-safety issue, and there is a need for increased education geared at older drivers, their families and health professionals.”

The study was funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.