DETROIT – A new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety examined how an increasing amount of medication can impact the ability for older adults to drive. The results of the report are raising concerns.
People don't typically see prescribed medications as something that can impair them on the road. The report is a reminder that everyone reacts differently, and drivers should talk to a doctor or pharmacist about potential side effects of medications.
Drivers older than 65 years old are generally the safest on the road because they tend to wear seat belts and don't typically drive while drunk or distracted, according to experts.
In a new AAA analysis of more than 3,000 older adult drivers, half said they take at least seven different medications.
"Of those medications that they're taking, one in five could potentially impair their ability to drive safely," said Tamra Johnson, of AAA.
The foundation urges drivers to talk with their doctors about how prescriptions and over-the-counter supplements could impact driving skills.
"Some of the medications that we use for a lot of common conditions, especially common conditions in the elderly, can cause problems in terms of their driving safety, their response time, their vision and so forth," Johnson said.
That includes certain heart drugs, anti-anxiety pills and sleep medicines, officials said.
AAA said 42 million men and women over 65 are drivers, and that's expected to increase dramatically over the next decade.
The more medication someone is on, the greater the risk of an adverse drug interaction, experts said. People taking two medications had a 13 percent risk, but when it's increased to seven or more medications, the risk rises to 82 percent.
AAA offers an online tool called Roadwise RX to see how your medications could impact driving. Click here to visit the tool.