Safe Driving for Older Adults

The idea of giving up driving is unpleasant for most older adults. Driving represents independence. It provides the ability to visit friends, go to the movies, and shop without relying on anyone else.

What problems can affect driving ability?

Driving skills vary widely at all ages. There are, however, special concerns about health and safety for drivers over the age of 80.

• Poor vision. You are more likely to have problems with your sight as you get older. Examples of vision problems include cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. These problems may cause problems with glare from oncoming headlights, streetlights, or shiny objects, especially at dawn, dusk, and night. A yearly eye exam is important for older drivers. Ask your healthcare provider about driving.
• Poor hearing. Something as simple as earwax can create hearing loss. Being unable to hear sirens or horns is very dangerous. A healthcare provider can identify hearing problems and offer solutions.
• Poor flexibility and limited range of motion. You need to be able to turn your head, neck, and shoulders while driving or parking. If this is not possible, you may not see oncoming vehicles or obstacles in the car's blind spot.
• Loss of muscle strength. You need to be strong enough to turn the wheel quickly in an emergency.
• Slower reaction time. As people get older, they react less quickly. Allowing extra space between cars helps reduce the chance of accidents, but eventually your reactions may become too slow for road safety.
• Less ability to focus or concentrate. Medicines might make you drowsy, confused, or very nervous while driving. Diseases such as Alzheimer's disease may cause drivers to get lost or to forget to do things such as turning on the headlights after dusk.

Your healthcare provider can talk to you about health problems that might cause trouble with driving.

What are the signs of unsafe driving ability?

Signs that someone is an unsafe driver may include:

• always asking passengers to help check if it is clear to pass or turn
• not being able to judge distances between cars correctly
• drifting across lane markings or often bumping into curbs
• driving either too fast or too slow
• failing to yield to other cars or pedestrians who have the right-of-way
• disregarding signs of mechanical problems
• ignoring, disobeying, or misinterpreting street signs and traffic lights
• not noticing or responding slowly to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers.

What can I do to drive more safely?

Here are some things you can do to drive more safely:

• Avoid driving at dawn, dusk, or night.
• Drive only in areas that are familiar to you. Avoid driving to places far away from home.
• Avoid highways and rush-hour traffic.
• Avoid driving alone.
• Take a refresher course on driving. Courses and informative pamphlets are available from the AARP and AAA.
• Rely more on public transportation. Many cities offer special discounts for seniors on buses and trains. Senior centers and community service agencies may provide vans or other options. You can enjoy the scenery while someone else does the driving.

What should I do if I think that someone should stop driving?

If you feel strongly that someone cannot drive safely, you should try to get them to stop driving.

• Confront the driver. They might get defensive or angry when you raise the subject of their driving abilities. It helps if you include family members, healthcare providers, clergy, and anyone else they respect. It is best to include them in the decision-making process, if at all possible, rather than make the decision for them.
• Contact the local Department of Motor Vehicles and report your concerns. Depending on state regulations and the person's disabilities, it may be illegal for them to continue to drive. The DMV may require them to take physical or mental exams or retake vision, written, and road-licensing tests. After reviewing a person's fitness to drive, the licensing agency may suspend, revoke, or restrict the license. Typical restrictions prohibit nighttime driving, require the vehicle to have additional mirrors, or restrict driving to specific places or distances from the driver's home.
• You may need to take the keys, disable the car, or move it to a location beyond the person's control. Or you might disable the car by leaving the headlights on all night or disconnecting the battery. While this may seem extreme, it can save lives.