Organisation:
Loughborough University
Amount Awarded:
£206,604
Project completed:
October 2026
Uploaded to Knowledge Centre:
12 November 2026
Individuals with dementia may have limited awareness of how their condition affects their driving ability. While driving performance generally declines as dementia progresses, not everyone with dementia is unsafe to drive, and a diagnosis alone should not justify the removal of driving privileges.
This project aimed to develop a reliable assessment of visual processing, particularly eye-scanning behaviour, to identify driving risks in people with early-stage cognitive impairment. It also sought to establish a feedback process for those identified as unsafe drivers.
Study 1 – Pilot study
A UK pilot study involving 23 participants aged 65 and over (10 with mild cognitive impairment and 13 controls) examined the relationship between visual processing, eye movements and driving ability.
Participants with mild cognitive impairment performed worse across cognitive and visual processing tests and scored significantly lower on hazard perception. This suggests that driving-related impairments can emerge before a formal dementia diagnosis. Interviews also found that those with cognitive impairment were more open to considering giving up driving, while those without impairment favoured measures such as additional lessons or vehicle adaptations to maintain their independence.
Study 2 – Driving simulator study
A second study involved 52 participants (31 with mild cognitive impairment and 21 controls) and used a driving simulator and eye-tracking technology to assess responses to pedestrian crossings.
Results showed that cognitively impaired participants tended to drive closer to the kerb and accelerate more when approaching and responding to pedestrians. They also displayed smaller pupil diameters, potentially indicating differences in cognitive effort or attention.
The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT) proved more effective than the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) at identifying differences in driving performance and visual attention. Further analysis is underway to examine additional safety-critical driving situations.
Recommendations
The findings provide preliminary evidence that visual processing and hazard perception assessments could help identify driving risks in people with early-stage dementia. However, further research is needed to establish whether the results apply to real-world driving. Recommendations cover clinical practice, healthcare providers, policy makers and priorities for future research.
Click the link below to view the full report:
https://www.roadsafetytrust.org.uk/funded-projects/loughborough-university-dementia