Impact of Anxiety and Anxiolytic Medication on Driving Outcomes in Older Adults: A LongROAD Study

Anxiety in older adults can negatively impact driving behaviors due to the associated symptoms and medications used to treat them. We aimed to investigate the effect of anxiety and anxiolytics on driving behaviors in older adults using data from participants enrolled in the multi-site AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers Study. A total of 2,832 participants met the eligibility criteria. Using generalized linear models, compared to participants without anxiety or anxiolytic use, those with anxiety alone (-540 miles/year, 95% CI = -1,002 to -78) and those with both anxiety and anxiolytic use (-1,777 miles/year, 95% CI = -2,910 to -644) drove fewer miles. Additionally, participants with anxiety (1.19, 95% CI = 1.08-1.32) and those with both anxiety and anxiolytic use (1.32, 95% CI = 1.02-1.67) experienced a higher rate of hard braking events. Older adults with anxiety conditions and taking anxiolytics should use caution when driving.