News release

$5.5 million Awarded to Research Program to Improve Safety of Older Drivers

July 23, 2008, Ottawa, ON. - The Ottawa Health Research Institute announces that the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Team in Driving in Older Persons (CanDRIVE II) research program has been awarded a five-year, $5.5 million grant by CIHR. This grant will help continue the program's research initiated in 2002, which is dedicated to improving the health, safety, and quality-of-life of older drivers.

As seniors are the fastest growing segment of Canada's population, the number of older drivers will increase proportionally. CanDRIVE believes establishing a comprehensive approach to aging driver issues will both prevent potential injuries and allow Canadian drivers to maintain their independence and healthy lifestyles by continuing to drive safely. 

One of the major projects CanDRIVE will now be able to initiate is a comprehensive, longitudinal pan-Canadian study of older drivers to determine the key factors that impact their driving safety, i.e., the effects of medical conditions on driving ability such as osteoarthritis or dementia. Results from this study will help develop a valid, in-office test that can be easily administered by family physicians to identify older drivers who may need further assessment of their driving ability.

"We are delighted to be able to continue our work," said Dr. Shawn Marshall, one of the principal investigators and co-founder of CanDRIVE. "What is unique about our program is the national interdisciplinary approach to this increasingly important issue. Our team consists of researchers and policy makers in a variety of disciplines representing universities, hospitals and governments from across Canada. This collaboration will ensure that our research will translate into public policy and clinical practice."

Attached is a list of the eight projects supported by this grant.

For more information on CanDRIVE and this grant, please contact Lynn MacLeay, Candrive Program Manager at lmacleay@ohri.ca.