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Driving in Somerset

Garnock Day Hospital, Ayrshire Central Hospital, Kilwinning Road, Irvine KA12 8SS

Sir: The premise of Kolowski and Rossiter's (2000) paper creates a needless dilemma for medical practitioners faced with forgetful drivers. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) At a Glance Guide (1999) makes no recommendation that doctors advise those in whom dementia is suspected to stop driving: it states that they must be informed when a diagnosis is made.

Seventeen patients in their study were still driving. Telling all to stop driving means nine would have done so needlessly (no diagnosis of dementia), while others might have continued driving subject to annual renewal of their licence. Driving remains an important activity for people in old age, especially those living in remote and rural areas ill-served by public transport. To deprive them of their transport while they await assessment disadvantages them.

The DVLA emphasises the duties of drivers in relation to their fitness to drive. The advice quoted in the paper prejudges all those with memory problems as incompetent. Were this advice to be incorporated into the guide and medical practitioners to adhere to it, people with memory problems would be deterred from approaching general practitioners or attending clinics, to their detriment and to the greater public risk.

References

KOLOWSKI, S. J. & ROSSITER, J. (2000) Driving in Somerset. Psychiatric Bulletin, 24, 304-306.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

DRIVER AND VEHICLE LICENSING AGENCY (1999) At a Glance Guide to the Current Standards of Fitness to Drive. Swansea Drivers Medical Unit: DVLA.

This Article Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Barber, J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Barber, J.