INTRODUCTION

Almost every health care practitioner who cares for older adults has heard a variation on one of these statements. Driving is an essential instrumental activity of daily living for young and old alike in this highly mobile society, but it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain with normal aging changes and potential comorbid medical conditions. Prevention, detection, and treatment of impaired driving ability is challenging in most health care settings for many reasons, including symptoms that do not fit typical medical paradigms, lack of familiarity with effective assessment techniques, and time constraints. Concerns about significant legal and ethical questions may also deter the health care provider from addressing the issue of driving. Early intervention is important, however, to prevent injury, unnecessary disability, and the potential loss of driving skills/privileges, with ensuing adverse effects on quality of life. With the rapid increase in the population of older adults, it is estimated that 25% of drivers will be older than age 65 by the year 2030.