[Driving competence in older age: psychological assessment and interventions]
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Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Driving Simulation in the Clinic: Testing Visual Exploratory Behavior in Daily Life Activities in Patients with Visual Field Defects
Published on: September 18, 2012
Konrad Reschke1,2, Paul Brieler3
1LEIVPSYCH-Akademie Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland. konrad.reschke@web.de.
Abstract:
The article introduces the issue of psychological assessment and training for driving safety, driving competence, and the mobility of older drivers. The psychological methods for assessing driving competence and the training approaches for maintaining mobility in old age are outlined and illustrated with examples. Preserving driving ability in old age remains a task for which development needs and research gaps must be specified. Although periodic mandatory examinations based on age do not yield any relevant improvement in enhancing traffic safety, they do not cause harm and are widely accepted. It is desirable to move away from a theory focusing on deficits of older age and instead develop an assessment of the comprehensive functions, abilities, and resources of elderly drivers to help preserve the mobility and participation of that specific demographic in traffic.

