Driving whenever and wherever you need or want to is an important part of independence. For older adults, it is very common for changes related to aging to interfere with safe driving.
Because of this, it’s also very common for families to question whether an older loved one should continue to drive. This can be a difficult conversation to have and an even more difficult decision to make.
An older adult who continues to drive should consider any physical limitations that could make it more dangerous for them, and take extra precautions to avoid unsafe conditions. They should also carefully weigh whether driving is becoming an unsafe activity for them to participate in.
Age-related factors that impact safe driving
Age by itself is a risk factor for serious outcomes from car accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), adults 70 and older have higher death rates per 1,000 accidents than adults age 35-54. 1 The National Institute on Aging identifies these factors that contribute to unsafe driving in older adults: 2
- Vision problems- eyesight can change with aging, making it difficult to see things clearly and causing problems with glare at night. And eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration are more common in older adults.
- Hearing impairment- age-related changes to hearing can affect your ability to hear horns, sirens, or even sounds your own car might be making that indicate a problem.
- Stiff muscles and joints- being flexible and able to move quickly and without pain is important when driving. If arthritis or other physical limitations are affecting the ability to look over your shoulder, brake quickly, or steer, it can cause unsafe driving conditions.
- Delayed reaction time and slower reflexes- older adults often have slower reaction times and shorter attention spans. The combination can equal difficulty on the road. Altered sensation in hands or feet due to nerve problems such as neuropathy can make this even worse.
- Complications due to medical conditions- for people who’ve had a stroke or who are experiencing problems like Parkinson’s disease, it may be difficult to maintain the coordination necessary for safe driving.
- Memory problems- older adults with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease will have difficulty with decision-making, especially at driving speeds. They can also begin to forget how to drive, or how to get to familiar places. These older adults should prepare for alternatives to driving.
- Medications- side effects of medication such as drowsiness or feeling light-headed can negatively impact driving. It’s important to discuss the possibility of this with your doctor and to report side effects right away.
How do you spot signs of trouble?
Even though the above risk factors do exist for older adults, they are actually overall safer drivers (and more experienced) than other age groups. So how can you tell if an older adult is really having trouble with safe driving?
Some key warning signs to watch for according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are: 3
- Decreased physical abilities, including increased falls and trouble walking
- Cognitive problems such as loss of short-term memory, and difficulty concentrating
- Failing to use turn signals appropriately when driving
- Difficulty with staying in the correct lane
- Trouble with turning the steering wheel and making turns
- Judging the distance between cars and upcoming exits incorrectly
- Accidentally hitting curbs
- Stopping inappropriately in traffic
- Missing stop signs, traffic lights, or other road signs
- Driving at incorrect speeds for the weather or traffic
- Traffic violations, warnings, or minor accidents
- Not noticing activity along the roadside, such as construction
It’s important to have a conversation about driving if you are an older driver that has experienced these red flags, or if you have observed them as the concerned family or friend of an older adult. It can be helpful to talk to your doctor about these concerns as well, so they can advise you on your fitness and any possible limitations when it comes to safe driving.
How to have a conversation if you’re worried
A conversation about whether an older adult should continue to drive can be an emotionally charged one. Understandably, older adults don’t want to lose the independence that driving allows, or make the huge lifestyle changes necessary if they have to stop driving.
Once you’ve noticed warning signs of a safety issue, however, it’s important to talk, rather than wait until a serious accident happens. The NHTSA recommends the following approach: 4
If you suspect unsafe driving, investigate further
There are a few ways you can build a case that driving is truly a danger and not just a concern based solely on age:
- Ride along with the driver, or travel separately and observe the driving for any of the red flags listed above. Asking others who spend time with the older adult and have observed their driving recently can be helpful feedback as well.
- Ask AAA about their assessment tool called “Roadwise Review” which can be used to check for potential problems.
- The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has a Driver Safety Program that also offers assessments and classes to help improve driving safety.
Work together to make a plan to increase safety
Once you’re able to clearly show that your concerns are valid, you can use the information you’ve collected to have a conversation. Older adults may be aware of their own limitations and may be willing and able to take steps to reduce risk. If not, figuring out alternatives to driving is important. Some tips for a productive conversation include:
- Express empathy about the importance of maintaining driving abilities as long as possible
- Use “I” instead of “you” messages- “I’m worried about you,” rather than “You shouldn’t be driving”
- Recruit people in the older adult’s life who they respect and are close to for the conversation
- Remember that negative reactions to the conversation are normal
- Focus on positives: ways that they might continue to drive safely, or ways they can still do activities they love regardless of whether they are still driving
- Is there another older adult in their life that has reduced or stopped driving that can share their story? This can be reassuring.
Be sure to follow through on planning
After you’ve worked together to plan the best course of action, be sure you proactively help with transportation needs the older adult has identified. And periodically check back in, too– needs can change over time. For example, an older adult who agrees to limit driving now may need to stop altogether in 6 months or a year.
Safe driving tips for older adults
There are some strategies older drivers can use to limit their risk of an accident if they continue to drive:
- Drive during low-traffic times of day- avoiding rush hour can reduce the need for quick decisions.
- Choose an alternate route- avoid busier roads and highway travel if possible.
- Don’t drive in bad weather- heavy rain, snow, and other hazardous weather conditions are dangerous for any driver but add to the challenge for an older driver.
- Limit distractions- if concentrating has become more difficult, eliminating noise like the radio, audiobooks, phone calls, and conversation while driving can help.
- Don’t drive at night- nighttime driving adds to vision challenges, including glare from oncoming lights. Driving during daytime hours may be a safer choice.
- Avoid mixing some medications with driving- talk with your doctor about whether any of your medications could affect driving.
- Stay up to date on your vision exam- the CDC recommends an annual exam to ensure your glasses are the correct prescription for driving. 5
- Follow the basics- standard driving rules always apply, like wearing a seat belt, not eating while driving, and never mixing alcohol with getting behind the wheel.
Older adults can also consult a Driver Rehabilitation Specialist for an assessment of coordination, reaction time, and decision-making skills. They can even recommend adaptive devices to make driving safer. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s driver search tool can help you locate one of these specialists.
Alternatives to driving
Ultimately, the time may come when the decision to stop driving is the safest option. In that case, there are ways older adults can still get around and enjoy activities that are important to them.
Consider the following options:
- Volunteer drivers- family and friends may be able to pitch in for some rides, especially for regularly planned activities like church. Faith-based organizations and local nonprofits may also have a network of people who offer rides to people who need them.
- Public transportation- older adults living in areas with easy access to public transit may be able to get around easily on the bus or other modes of transit.
- Taxis and similar services- companies like Uber and Lyft offer paid rides using an app to order rides to anywhere someone needs to go, but this may be a more expensive option.
- Paratransit services- these door-to-door services can be pre-arranged through public transportation or local aging organizations and are usually small buses or minivans.
Additionally, services like Meals on Wheels and grocery delivery can eliminate the need to make shopping trips, eliminating some transportation challenges.
Being proactive can avoid dangerous driving
By considering age-related changes that can affect driving, watching out for warning signs of a problem, and taking steps to improve safe driving, older adults can ensure they are not putting themselves in a dangerous situation.
It’s important to have conversations around this and provide alternatives to driving if it’s no longer safe for older adults to continue driving themselves. Often, the need for help with driving will correlate with the need for extra assistance in other areas of life, too.
Lifestyle changes such as moving into an assisted living facility that provides regular transportation services can also be a way to ensure any personal care needs are met along with getting around.
The majority of older adults wish to avoid leaving their own homes, however. Using in-home care can not only avoid a move away from home, but it can also mean access to professional caregiving services that include transportation when you need it.
The important takeaway is that each situation and each person’s circumstances are different. Working together with family and other trusted friends and loved ones can ensure that individual needs are met, leading to a higher quality of life.
If you are considering in-home care as an option to help meet transportation needs, Caresify’s team is available to help you meet your goals. You can read more here, or call 888-799-5007.
References
- https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/older_adult_drivers/index.html
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/older-drivers
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/812228-cliniciansguidetoolderdrivers.pdf
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/older-drivers/how-understand-and-influence-older-drivers
- https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/older_adult_drivers/index.html
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