Medically At-Risk Drivers

A Comparative State Analysis and Policy Review
PRS Briefs
PRS Policy Brief 1314-15
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Sean
Connelly
'16
Kristopher
Jorgenson
'16
Nicholas
Shallow
'16
prs_brief_1314-15.pdf

New Hampshire does not impose additional license renewal requirements on older drivers. In 2011, the state stopped requiring drivers age 75 and older to pass a road test to renew their licenses. The state’s policies regarding older drivers are now broadly similar to many state policies. Whether they are optimal for reducing traffic accidents and deaths is unclear. This report proceeds in three stages. First, it reviews research on the association between age and medical impairments on driving safety. Second, the age- specific driving requirements for states are reviewed. Finally, the report considers potential policy options for improving traffic safety and reducing fatalities. While evidence about the effectiveness of many policies is so far mixed, mandatory reporting of medically at-risk drivers and requiring in-person renewals for older drivers appears to be most effective in improving safety.