THE CORE CONTROVERSY: SAFETY VS. COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Senior driving licensure.

The Protocol’s Goal: Developed by researchers at the University of
Alberta, the SIMARD-MD is a brief cognitive screening tool administered
in doctors’ offices.

If a patient scores in the “indeterminate” or low range, they are typically
forced to take a costly, computer-based DriveABLE assessment or lose their license.

HIGH MISCLASSIFICATION RATES

Independent peer-reviewed studies published on platforms like PubMed
found that the SIMARD-MD has a high misclassification error rate,
misclassifying a large number of individuals regardless of the score
cut-offs used. [1]

The “Collateral” Impact on Seniors: Forcing competent drivers into
indeterminate status or pulling licenses prematurely leads to severe
real-world consequences.

SUDDEN TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY LOSS

Seniors face sudden transportation mobility loss,
steep financial costs for secondary testing, and an education/language
bias that disproportionately impacts those with less formal schooling.

PUBLIC POLICY DEMONSTRATES DISREGARD FOR THE RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF SENIOR ALBERTANS

Critics argue that the protocol reflects a public policy stance that views
the wrongful restriction of safe drivers as an acceptable trade-off for
public safety.

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10/06/26

Tags: Simard MD; misclassification; challenging the veracity of the Simard MDE