Did you know that the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administration's (CCMTA) guidance document for Determining Driver Fitness In Canada uses the word 'Cognitive' 269 times in a 293-page document?[1]

Most companies managing a commercial fleet have little to no knowledge of what cognitive impairment means as it relates to driving.

What Does Cognitive Impairment Mean?

Cognitive impairment is when a person has trouble remembering, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions that affect their everyday life. Cognitive impairment ranges from mild to severe.

Driving is one of the most complex tasks a person can perform, which is heightened for operators of a commercial vehicle. While a person with a healthy cognition will likely be able to perform driving functions safely and consistently, someone suffering from a cognitive deficit(s) may become overwhelmed and impaired under the same circumstances.

What Are Illnesses That Can Cause Cognitive Impairment?

Untreated Sleep Apnea
Diabetes
Hypertension
Psychiatric illness
Respiratory disease
Dementia
Developmental Disorder
Amnesia
Substance-Induced Cognitive Impairment
Alzheimer's Disease
Parkinson Disease
Brain Trauma
Frontotemporal degeneration[2]

What Are The Signs Of Cognitive Disorder Or Impairment?

Some of the most common signs of a cognitive disorder include:

Confusion
Poor Motor Coordination
Loss of short-term or long-term memory
Identity confusion
Impaired judgment

Why Is Healthy Cognition Important?

Statistics Canada: "According to the 1991 Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA), about 17% of Canadians aged 65 or older had mild impairment, often labeled "cognitive impairment—no dementia or CIND." Similarly, data from the Health and Retirement Survey indicate that 22% of Americans aged 71 or older had CIND. Consequently, an examination of the prevalence of various levels of cognitive well-being is warranted." [3]

In the past, transportation companies and drivers have experienced significant difficulties when a driver has performance decline such as, but not limited to, near misses, incidents, increased confusion, missed company procedures, etc. When a company has not implemented a standardized process to evaluate drivers, they can incur increased cost burdens and lost earnings for the driver.