Discussions

There's a new menace on the road, and we're not talking about drunks, street racers or teenage boys.  
 
It's you, grandpa. And grandma, too.  
 
According to an article in the September issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, there are thousands of senior citizen drivers on Canadian highways suffering from various forms of dementia who shouldn't be driving.  
 
It's a growing problem as our society ages. There could be about 270,000 Canadians with some degree of dementia who will still be licensed drivers by 2027.  
 
One might think that recognizing someone with dementia so severe that they should no longer be driving is an easy problem to rectify. But family physicians, who are usually the first to spot dementia, are loathe to pull the plug on an elderly patient's freedom and independence, even though in all provinces except Alberta, Nova Scotia and Quebec, doctors are required by law to report unsafe drivers.  
 
 
Part of the problem, doctors argue, is they don't have diagnostic tools and guidelines available to judge at what point a senior with early signs of dementia should still be driving. Ordering a senior to take a road test can be a costly proposition, sometimes costing a steep$500, depending where one lives.  
 
The CMAJ also reports some doctors are reluctant to take drivers licences away because of the anger of patients.  
 
But anger of elderly patients is nothing compared to the potential heartache of injury or death caused by confused, senile people who get behind the wheel.  
 
For safety sake, many doctors are now advocating for a system that would allow them to order free road tests for seniors of questionable ability to drive, in much the same way they'd order an X-ray.  
 
Pulling drivers licences from seniors is especially a hardship for those living in small towns and rural areas, where public transportation is not a viable alternative.  
 
It would be smart if elderly drivers could be tapered in their driving - much like the graduated licence system for new drivers used by many jurisdictions. It might be enough to give up the right to drive at night or on multi-lane highways, while still being allowed to drive to the grocery store for the Wednesday specials, rather than give up all driving all at once.