Why older people stop to drive? A cohort study of older patients admitted to a rehabilitation setting

The aim of this study is to describe the predictive factors of driving cessation at 6-month follow-up in older patients discharged from a rehabilitation setting and evaluated by an occupational therapist in a multidisciplinary team. Of 95 patients, at 6-month 27.4% ceased to drive. The reasons for driving cessation were a patients’ voluntary choice (42.3%) or a choice of their family (23.1%), and only in 34.6% of the patients the license was revoked by a medical commission. In a multivariate analysis greater functional impairment—measured with the Timed Up and Go test—(OR 12.60, CI 2.74–57.89; p < 0.01) was the only predictor of driving cessation. This study shows that the ability to walk safely and independently is a significant predictor of driving cessation. The simple assessment of this factor using the TUG might be an easy screening tool to prompt a second level evaluation to accurately identify unsafe driving.