The SIMARD MD test purports to be a screening tool for 

the identification of cognitively impaired medically at-risk drivers. 

It consists of three questions that supposedly identifies if a person 

is cognitively fit to drive.

 At the beginning of the test the person is given 10 words. He/she 

            must repeat as many as possible. The words are totally unrelated.

The procedure is repeated once more. No points are given for this part.

 Question #1 – Patient must write two given numerals in their word 

            form as on a cheque.

Question #2 – Patient is asked to name as many things as possible one 

can buy at a supermarket in one minute.

                         (Patient is not told that the expected number is 30 items).

Question #3 – After being distracted by the first two questions, the person

             is then asked to recall as many words that were read to him/her at 

            the beginning of the test. The words are totally unrelated.

 (Most people fail this part or score very low.) The total score for the three 

questions is 42.

 However, SIMARD MD uses a scoring guide that almost sets up the senior

            or anyone else for failure. For example, a raw score of 21over 42 yielding 

50% becomes 44 over 130 giving a percentage of 34. This is achieved by 

multiplying each correct answer in question #2 by 8 and each correct recalled 

word in question #3 by 10 now the total becoming 130. 

 

 
 
A number of community leaders and educators, all actively employed

 have taken the test, including one MLA.  All but two failed.*

* Correction issued Feb 20, 2013, previously worded “All failed”