Resources For Aging Drivers
When is it time for an older person to stop driving? I have no personal experience in working through this with anyone, but, with an aging father, I may have to address this one day.
While I’m not an advocate of mandating that everyone cease driving after a certain age, the reality is that the changes that come with aging, rather than the age itself, can possibly impair driving skills.
The physical changes that affect driving ability can include slower reflexes and reaction time, vision changes (especially at night), limited physical mobility such as difficulty turning head or raising arms, fatigue, and, increased risk of medication side effects.
It’s a difficult subject for both the driver and the family, but, here’s a sample of the help available out there:
- Warning Signs - when to stop driving from AARP
- Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully - From the United States Government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this site addresses the aging driver directly
- When the Put the Brakes on Elderly Drivers - a checklist from Aging Parents and Eldercare
- Driving Us Crazy - a interesting Time article about elderly drivers
- Patient Resources for the Older Driver - from the American Medical Association
- AAA Self Rating for the OlderDriver
- In the United States, your local Area Agency On Aging - may have resources to help with older drivers issues and community transportation, (a list by state)
- Also, in the United States, your local unit of National Associate of State Units on Aging may be able to help.
- United States Driver’s License Renewal Procedures for Older Drivers
Many people are aware of their limitations, and, voluntarily stop driving, I hope I will be one of them, someday. However, I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to give up your independence in this way.
Families, health care providers and communities are the most valuable resources for insuring the safety and satisfaction of everyone concerned, when it becomes time for driving retirement.
Tags: Elderly-Drivers, sandwich-generation
6 opinions for Resources For Aging Drivers
Susan
Feb 27, 2007 at 10:09 am
This is a particularly poignant topic for me. I wrote about my mother’s Last Drive here. I strongly believe in mandatory re-testing at age 65, and maybe every five years after that, and maybe every year after 80?
http://www.literarymama.com/columns/sandwich/archives/2007/02/passing_the_key.html
Susan
Feb 27, 2007 at 10:10 am
P.S. When I took my daughter to get her drivers license a month or two ago, there was an elderly man there with his daughter. He failed his test. I felt really badly for him, but there it was. He vowed to retake it again in a few weeks, but I wasn’t holding out a lot of hope. It’s a heartbreaking milestone and loss of independence.
The Boomer Chronicles » Blog Archive » “Get Off the Road, Geezer!”
Mar 2, 2007 at 8:26 am
[…] Here is a great little AAA quiz for those 55+ to assess their driving. After that, here are a bunch of other great resources for aging drivers. […]
Carol Bradley Bursack
Mar 2, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Super post, Elizabeth! Some of my most spirited radio interviews have been about this issue. It’s so hard for an elder to give up the “freedom” they have when they can drive. It’s a painful loss when they have to quit. Some do so, because they know they are a hazzard. But others will fight it all the way. However, if they have gotten so they are a hazzard, and could kill a child or hurt themselves, steps must be taken. You gave a good list for getting help with the process.
Best,
Carol
Bluegrass Mama
Mar 3, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Some of my siblings finally forced this issue with our father, who probably should have been off the road several years ago. I, too, believe in retesting after a certain age.
AARP Driver Safety
Mar 10, 2008 at 10:41 pm
[…] One of the classic dilemmas when caring for aging parents, is how do you know when it’s time for the senior to quit driving? […]
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