Public Safety
AAA Warns Senior Drivers: Multiple Medications Can Increase the Risk of Car Crashes
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Nearly half of older adults use seven or more drugs while remaining active drivers, says new research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. In addition, nearly 20 percent of drivers 65 years and older use potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) the American Geriatrics Society say should be avoided because they have limited therapeutic benefits, pose excess harm or both. — an announcement from AAA Northeast and the American Automobile Association
PIMs, known to cause impairing effects such as blurred vision, confusion, fatigue, or incoordination, can increase crash risk by up to 300 percent. “There’s a growing population of older drivers who don’t realize the impact prescriptions may have on their driving,” said Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman. “As Baby Boomers come of age, it’s important they realize the more medications they take, the more likely they’re using one that can potentially cause driving impairment.”
This newest Foundation research is part of a comprehensive, multi-year AAA LongROAD (Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers) study on the driving behaviors of nearly 3,000 senior adults.