The “Co-pilot driveer syndrome:” A newly-reported driving habit in patients with Alzheimer's diseas

Abstract

When should I take away the car keys? Is it still safe for him/her to drive? Are all patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) a hazard on the road? What about driving for short distances in a familiar territory? Can people with AD drive with family or caregiver supervision? Those are but a few of the difficult questions asked by caregivers of people with AD. There is confusion regarding the optimal time to recommend that a patient with AD stop driving.1-5 In an attempt to assist caregivers with this difficult question, guidelines have been issued, although they frequently have conflicting recommendations in this matter.6-10

Feelings of vulnerability and effects on driving behaviour – A qualitative study

“…However, Aldridge et al, (1999) determined that adult passengers have a protective effect on young drivers and perhaps this effect is related to the reduction of workload established through collaborative coping. Given that older adults use a co-pilot to compensate for declining cognitive resources (Shua-Haim, et al, 1999) it may be that younger adults, who have not yet achieved a state of automaticity in driving, similarly use a co-pilot to compensate for stretched cognitive resources. In effect, delegating certain tasks reduces their workload and enables them to direct attention to basic driving skills such as vehicle handling (Hatakka, Keskinen, Gregersen, Glad, & Hernetkoski, 2002).…”

“…unfamiliar routes/poor weather/ heavy traffic (Baldock, Mathias, McLean, & Berndt, 2006;Charlton, et al, 2006). However, self-regulation encompasses a broader spectrum of behaviours including restrictive practices such as trip combining and reduction in mileages (Charlton, et al, 2006;Marottoli & Richardson, 1998), active planning strategies including route planning and vehicle adaptations (Molnar, Eby, Scott Roberts, St.Louis, & Langford, 2009) and collaborative strategies such as taking a passenger to assist with navigation and hazard spotting tasks (Shua-Haim, Shua-Haim, & Ross, 1999;Vrkljan & Millar Polgar, 2007).…”

An intervention encouraging planned self-regulation and goal setting in drivers across the lifespan: Testing an extended theory of planned behaviour

“…Further, avoidance is only one strategy amongst a range of self-regulatory behavioural countermeasures, including pre-journey route planning and trial runs, pre-arranging rest stops, making vehicle adaptations (Molnar, et al, 2009) and presence of a 'co-pilot' (e.g. Shua-Haim, Shua-Haim, & Ross, 1999;Vrkljan & Millar Polgar, 2007;Gwyther & Holland, 2014).…”