Syracuse, N.Y. - The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in recent research found that nearly 50 percent of older adults report using seven or more medications while remaining active driver.
An evaluation of the medications people are taking found that nearly 20 percent of older drivers are using medications that the American Geriatrics Society says should be avoided. Most of these are known to cause impairing effects such as blurred vision, confusion, fatigue or lack of coordination—and can increase a driver’s risk for a crash by up to 300 percent.
According to AAA currently, a record 42 million adults ages 65 and older are driving on America’s roads and this number is expected to increase.
“There is a growing population of older drivers who use multiple medications and likely do not realize the impact these prescriptions may have on their driving,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “This new research shows that the more medications an older driver takes, the more likely they are to use an inappropriate medication that can potentially cause driving impairment.”
To learn more about their medications, drivers can use AAA’s Roadwise Rx. It’s a free, online tool to help drivers and their families understand common side effects of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and herbal supplements.
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