Elderly drivers just as good as younger ones – psychologist
EXPERTS in the field of elderly mental health have defended the driving capabilities of older people after Prince Philip was involved in a car crash.
The 97-year-old British royal’s Land Rover was involved in a collision with another car, in which two women and a nine-month-old baby were travelling on Thursday.
Philip’s age has prompted much commentary about whether he should still be driving, but clinical psychologist Nick Kidd says older drivers are just as likely to be careful as those younger than them.
“Everybody is going to be different in the sense we all have different reactions speeds and abilities to respond,” said Mr Kidd, a chartered member of the Psychological Society of Ireland.
“I think it’s very difficult to make a global statement, and you’re going to get older people well into their 80s well able to drive a car cognitively and astutely, and who will take their due amount of care around the roads. Most would be able to make adjustments and drive slower if they feel like they need to.”
Once drivers reach 70, they are required to produce a medical certificate in order to renew their licence.
While cognitive function can deteriorate over time, Mr Kidd insisted it should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
“There is no doubt that driving a car is a cognitively demanding task and we know, depending on the experience of the driver, that these things can become second nature,” he said.
“So somebody who has been driving 50 years would have a lot of experience and be able to go through the processes.”
As a clinical psychologist with the HSE, Mr Kidd said the isolation older people would face if they did not have a car would be devastating to their wellbeing.
“There is an awful isolation that can come from not having a car, and from working with older adults who can’t drive anymore, there is a real impact on their mental health,” he said.
“People look at situations and media coverage such as this and will make global judgments but there’s a case that people into their 80s and 90s will remain competent.”
Philip’s collision occurred close to the Queen’s Norfolk estate, Sandringham.
He was not injured, but underwent a medical examination as a precaution.
Norfolk Police said two women – the 28-year-old driver of a Kia, who suffered cuts to her knee, and a 45-yearold passenger who broke a wrist – were treated at the local hospital in King’s Lynn and discharged.
There was also a miraculous escape for a nine-month-old baby boy who survived unhurt in the Kia, police said.