仠 Cognitive Assessment
丂A driver who is 75 years of age or older as of the final day of the driver's license renewal period must undergo a cognitive assessment, etc.
丂The cognitive assessment, etc. may be taken from six months before the final day of the driver's license renewal period.
丂A driver who needs to undergo a cognitive assessment receives a notice to that effect from the police by six months before the final day of the driver's license renewal period.
仠 About cognitive assessment
丂Cognitive assessment is a test for measuring the testee's memory and judgment. For two test items, namely, cued recall and temporal orientation, the testee enters answers in test sheets or on a tablet with the software for the test by using a stylus.
丂Specifically, the following two items are tested:
仜 Cued recall
A cued recall test is conducted to check the testee's memory. The testee memorizes certain illustrations, and after doing a task unrelated to scores, recalls the memorized illustrations without cues first, and then with cues.
仜 Temporal orientation
A temporal orientation test is conducted to check the testee's perception of time. The testee answers the year, month, date, the day of the week, and the time as of the test.
丂After the tests, scores are given, and the testee is determined either to "have risk of dementia" or "have no risk of dementia" according to the total score.
The testee is notified of the test result in writing (including a post card, etc.).
If a person is determined to "have risk of dementia" as a result of the test, the person is contacted by the public safety commission (police), and is required to undergo a special fitness screening or receive a diagnosis from a doctor based on an order to submit a medical certificate. If the person is diagnosed with dementia, the person's license is revoked or suspended after proceedings such as a hearing.
Meanwhile, if a driver who is 75 years of age or older commits a specific traffic violation, such as ignoring the traffic light, a cognitive assessment is specially administered for that driver. The details of the test are the same as those of an ordinary cognitive assessment.
In this special cognitive assessment as well, a person who is determined to "have risk of dementia" as a result of the test needs to undergo a special fitness screening or submit a medical certificate, and if the person is diagnosed with dementia, the person's license is revoked or suspended after proceedings such as a hearing.
In addition,in the case of a special cognitive assessment, if a person who was determined to "have no risk of dementia" in the most recently received assessment is determined to "have risk of dementia" in the current assessment, the person must take special training for elderly drivers.
Note: A cognitive assessment is a simple method for checking the status of a testee's memory and judgment, and is not a substitute for a diagnosis or a medical testing by a medical doctor.
The test sheets, illustrations, and scoring method used for the cognitive assessment are as shown below.