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Licensing and health among older drivers

Authors: Vibeke Milch Uhlving, Alena Katharina Høye, Fridulv Sagberg
Report nr: 1885/2022
ISBN (digital version): 978-82-480-1930-5
Language: Norwegian
Attachments Summary
Full report - in Norwegian only
Sammendrag

The report describes a study of licensing requirements for older drivers in Norway, based on qualitative interviews with family doctors and an analysis of data from the licensing register. Drivers above 80 years are required to provide a health certificate to renew their license. The results from our study indicate that only few drivers above 80 years apply but are not granted a health certificate. The most common cause for not issuing a health certificate is dementia. Other common causes are visual impairments, regular use of prescription drugs, and neurological disorders. The family doctors are generally positive towards the health certificate system. The recommended cognitive tests are regarded as useful and these tests are for the most part applied as prescribed, although some doctors make some individual adjustments. According to the doctors, the health attest contributes to the identification of older drivers with high crash risk. Additionally, it may be an incentive for older drivers to consider their own health and driving skills. A potential weakness with the system is that it may impair the doctor-patient relationship. Moreover, the system does not prevent older drivers from making repeated attempts to get a health certificate after being denied by their family doctor.

      

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