Physician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers

CME Questionnaire

The Physician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers contains the correct answers to the following questions. Circle your answer to each question.

1. Compared to drivers age 25 to 69, older drivers experience—

  1. A higher fatality rate in motor vehicle crashes
  2. A higher fatality rate per vehicle mile driven
  3. A higher crash rate per vehicle mile driven
  4. All of the above

2. The majority of older Americans do not rely on driving your car to the stop sign. as their primary form of transportation.

  1. True
  2. False

3. Compared to younger drivers, older drivers are more likely to wear seatbelts and are less likely to drive at night, speed, tailgate, and consume alcohol prior to driving.

  1. True
  2. False

4. Medications that have the potential to impair driving ability include—

  1. Anticonvulsants
  2. Antidepressants
  3. Antihypertensives
  4. a and b only
  5. All of the above

5. Aspects of vision that are important for safe driving include—

  1. Visual acuity
  2. Visual fields
  3. Contrast sensitivity
  4. a and b only
  5. All of the above

6. Match the cognitive skill to the appropriate driving situation:

____ Memory a. Applying the brake at a green light because a child runs into the path of your vehicle.
____ Visuospatial skills b. Listening to the traffic report on the radio while keeping an eye on the road.
____ Divided attention c. Recalling that a particular street is a one-way street.
____ Executive skills d. Determining the distance from your car to the stop sign.

7. Research has demonstrated that drivers with 20/70 visual acuity have a significantly greater crash risk than drivers with 20/40 visual acuity.

  1. True
  2. False

8. All of the following are important for viewing the driving environment EXCEPT—

  1. Visual acuity
  2. Visual fields
  3. Memory
  4. Neck rotation

9. A Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (DRS) can—

  1. Revoke a client’s driver’s license for poor performance on a clinical exam
  2. Evaluate a client’s driving skills through an on-road assessment
  3. Assess the client’s vehicle and recommend adaptive equipment to enhance the client’s comfort and driving safety
  4. b and c only
  5. All of the above

10. Driving cessation has been associated with an increase in depressive symptoms in the elderly.

  1. True
  2. False

11. Which of the following is NOT recommended as an initial technique to help your patients retire from driving?

  1. With the patient’s permission, involve family members and caregivers.
  2. Explain to the patient why you have recommended that he/she retire from driving.
  3. Provide your patient with information on alternatives to driving.
  4. Tell the patient’s relatives to hide the car keys.

12. ‘Physicians are required to report patients with dementia to their state Department of Motor Vehicles’ is an example of—

  1. A mandatory medical reporting law
  2. A physician reporting law
  3. Physician liability
  4. None of the above

13. Physician-patient privilege can be used to prevent physicians from abiding by their state’s physician reporting laws.

  1. True
  2. False

14. All states protect the identity of the individual who reports an ‘unsafe’ driver to the DMV.

  1. True
  2. False

15. Key functions that are important for safe driving include—

  1. Vision
  2. Cognition
  3. Motor function
  4. a and b only
  5. All of the above


Please print and include all information requested.

Name and Title
Address
City
State
Zip
Phone
Fax
E-mail
Medical specialty


Please mail the completed form to:
Division of Continuing Physician Professional Development
American Medical Association
515 N. State Street
Chicago, IL 60610


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