Older Driver Safety Awareness Week every December reminds us all to take into account driving safety for our friends, neighbors, parents, grandparents, and other relatives who may be advancing in age and to allow time to discuss a plan for alternative transportation and any safety issues with our loved ones over the holidays. Older drivers often have unique safety concerns when driving, and with more than 45 million licensed drivers aged 65 and older in the United States (according to 2018 CDC data here), Older Driver Safety Awareness Week provides the perfect opportunity to discuss how to keep drivers safe and independent while also taking into account needs and risks specifically associated with their age group.
It is vital for many older adults to stay active in their communities for as long as possible and in order to do this they need to be able to maintain mobility through transportation. Some older drivers can experience safety issues while driving caused by age-related health and medical issues, and while some drivers can operate a vehicle safely well into their nineties, it is important to know how to recognize safety concerns early so they can be managed properly.
Often with years of experience driving, older drivers should not stop driving just because of age alone if they are still demonstrating the same amount of competency and skill while operating a vehicle they have in the past. If, however, they are experiencing changes in their mental or physical state or their driving that are concerning it is important they visit a doctor as needed and that loved ones discuss how any changes should affect their driving habits.
Vision or hearing problems, cognition issues, lessened coordination or reaction time, decreased physical fitness, certain medication side effects, or other medical conditions can all affect a person’s ability to drive safely, especially as they age. The good news is, if these issues are affecting you or a loved one, often there are ways to remedy them to make driving safer!
Safety Tips:
For all drivers, but especially older drivers, it is important to always:
General:
- Wear a seatbelt. This will help keep you safe in the event of a crash.
- Don’t drink or do drugs and drive. Impaired driving causes approximately 28 preventable deaths every day in the United States according to the organization NHTSA.
- Don’t drive distracted (such as while on the phone, texting, or eating).
- Drive during the safest conditions. If you are somewhere experiencing inclement weather such as a snow or ice storm, or you have been instructed not to drive at certain times, such as at night, then you should leave your car in park until it is safer.
- Follow traffic rules.
- Ensure your vehicle is maintained by a professional when needed to avoid dangerous conditions or breakdowns.
- Ensure your vehicle’s windshield, windows, headlights, and mirrors are clean and that your headlights are properly adjusted for visibility.
- Plan your route before driving (such as with a GPS device) and take the safest route available.
Vision and Hearing Issues:
- Visit your eye doctor regularly to identify and treat any issues such as the need for corrective lenses, night blindness, light sensitivity, or other eye disorders.
- If corrective lenses are needed for you to drive, make sure to wear either contact lenses or glasses while driving.
- Don’t wear tinted lenses or sunglasses at night.
- Adjust your seat and sit on a cushion if needed to ensure that it is high enough for you to see properly over the wheel.
- Aim your mirrors to eliminate blind spots and expand your vision range.
- Watch and listen while driving for the lights and/ or sirens of emergency vehicles.
- Limit background noises in and around your car (such as conversations or the radio) when driving.
- If you wear a hearing aid, make sure to use it when driving and be careful to control the airflow in the car (e.g. windows, high air conditioning) so as not to impair the hearing aid.
Reaction Time and Coordination:
- Visit your doctor as needed to take care of any medical issues limiting your mobility, reaction time, or coordination when driving.
- If approved by a physician, do regular exercises to improve coordination, strength, and flexibility.
- If encountering mobility issues when driving, if possible, use a car with power steering, power brakes, and automatic transmission to make it easier to control the vehicle.
- If needed, adapt your vehicle with equipment specific to your mobility needs. This could be a pedal extender, hand controls, chair accommodations, etc. Contact a qualified mobility vehicle dealer or technician to get these accommodations.
- Use assistive driving technologies such as back-up cameras or automatic braking controls to help aid you while driving as needed.
Medication and Medical Conditions:
- Make sure to monitor what medications you or a loved one are taking and their interactions and side effects to determine possible effects on driving. Contact a medical professional as needed.
- Medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Glaucoma, Cataracts, Parkinson’s, and many others can affect driving capabilities in older drivers. Make sure to monitor symptoms and seek treatment as needed.
As an older driver, considering your driving limitations and capabilities is important to knowing what actions to take in order to keep driving safely and if and when it may be necessary to hang up the keys. As a loved one of an older driver, Older Driver Safety Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity for you to reach out to your loved one with any concerns about their driving safety.
If it does become necessary as an older driver to stop driving for safety or health reasons, don’t despair! There are still many options available for you to get around and stay active in your community.
Alternatives to Driving:
- Take Public Transit. This could include subways or buses.
- Ask friends, family, or neighbors to help drive you or arrange for you to have a ride when needed.
- Use a taxi or driving service like Uber or Lyft.
- Take a shuttle bus offered by your community or organizations such as senior centers or churches.
Be aware of older driving safety for you and your loved ones and create a plan for driving safety and maintained independence. By following the above tips you will surely have golden driving safety in the golden years.
Safe travels!
Some Resources for Older Drivers:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
- Find state resources: https://www.hhs.gov/aging/state-resources/index.html
- National Institute on Aging: https://www.nia.nih.gov/
U.S. Department of Transportation:
- Department of Transportation: https://www.transportation.gov/
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: https://www.nhtsa.gov/
Other:
- Ridesharing Services: https://dailycaring.com/8-ridesharing-services-for-seniors/
*Please note none of the information in this article should be taken as medical advice. If you have medical concerns for yourself or a loved one seek medical attention or call emergency services.