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Citation
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Koppel S, Bugeja L, Stephens A, Cartwright A, Osborne R, Williams G, Peiris S, Di Stefano M, Charlton JL. J. Transp. Health 2020; 17: e100845. |
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Abstract
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Introduction
This study systematically reviewed the literature on key issues relating to the safety benefits of older drivers attending an in-person licence renewal. This included identifying: 1) screening tools that are suitable for inclusion in a populationbased in-person licence renewal process for drivers aged 75 years and older which: a) can be administered by non-health professionals (or via a computer terminal/smart device), and b) are compatible with Australian fitness to drive requirements; 2) the evidence that in-person licence renewal policies are associated with safety benefits, as defined by: a) a reduction in motor vehicle crash risk, or b) on-road driving test outcomes.
Methods
This review was registered with PROSPERO 2019: CRD42019120809. A systematic search of public health, psychology and transport databases was conducted on March 20th 2019.
Results
Five studies published between 1986 and 2011 met the inclusion criteria. The review did not identify any suitable screening tools for inclusion in a population-based in-person licence renewal process for older drivers. There was inconclusive evidence regarding the safety benefits associated with in-person licence renewal policies for older drivers. Two studies reported that these policies were associated with a reduced crash risk. However, two studies reported that these policies were not associated with a reduced crash risk, and a third study provided inconclusive evidence. It is important to note that the included studies were conducted across different licensing jurisdictions, with different in-person licence renewal policies - both with and without vision and cognitive testing, which limit the generalisability of the findings.
Conclusions
It is recommended that a population-based controlled research study in multiple licensing jurisdictions is conducted to specifically investigate the safety benefits of in-person licence renewal policies, as well as the efficacy of different components (including screening by health professionals prior to renewal), as a means to reduce road trauma.
Language: en |