Non-frail elderly people and their license to drive motor vehicles.

OBJECTIVE: to analyse the link between the non-frailty condition and the results of driving license for elderly people to drive motor vehicles.

METHOD: cross-sectional study with data collection in the sample period from August 2015 to March 2016. Study performed with 347 elderlies (≥60 years).

RESULTS: 180 (51.9%) of the participants were classified as non-frail. 48 (26.7%) of them were considered capable to drive, 121 (67.2%) capable to drive with restrictions and 11 (6.1%) temporarily uncapable. No significant relation was found between the non-frailty conditions and the results of the motor vehicles driving license study (p=0.557).

CONCLUSION: The absence of physical frailty does not necessarily points out that the elderly are able to drive motor vehicles. Tracking the frailty subsidizes preventive interventions, which seek to interfere positively in the act of driving. This is an unprecedented study in nursing and it highlights an essential field for the performance of gerontological nursing.