Several Classes of Medications Appear to Hamper Driving Performance in Older Adults

Declines in driving performance and a higher rate of vehicle crashes are associated with older age, due to chronic medical conditions and visual and cognitive impairment. In this study, researchers assessed the influence of various classes of medications on driving performance in a road test. Nearly 200 older adults (mean age, 73) with no evidence of dementia were recruited from an Alzheimer disease research center and followed for a mean 6 years. Participants completed at least two road tests on a standardized 12-mile public, in-traffic route and were graded as pass, marginal, or fail by an examiner.

After adjustment for a wide range of sociodemographic variables, medical comorbidity, and visual acuity, participants were 2 to 3 times more l…