Factors Involved In Teaching The Aged To Drive

The driver group with the highest risk quotient are those above the age of 75

. Slower reactions and frailty both contribute to the likelihood of accidents. Short journeys over familiar ground are the most common habits of this group having little practise in longer drives in dense traffic. This group are statistically a greater danger to themselves than anyone else. A much greater danger is presented to passengers actually inside the car at the time of the collision.

Teaching older drivers can be one of the most inspiring and challenging things an instructor can do. Having taught people over the age of eighty I have found it to be a very rewarding experience. To meet such determined and friendly people can be a boost to the working day.

The statistics do match real life experience however. An elderly driver will handle the streets around their home reasonably well until something unexpected happens and then those slow reactions really begin to show. The overall attitude of elderly drivers is to blame the other person and then make up as many excuses as possible as to why the incident occurred. This must be handled diplomatically and respectfully as they do not like to feel condescended to by an instructor younger than themselves.

As the journey moves away from the home location the standard of drive deteriorates rapidly, showing that they are driving from memory. When the time comes to deal with new information vehicle control and road position become more haphazard and we really do begin to rely on luck to stay safe. Large multi lane roundabouts which require reading of signs and complex lane markings are well beyond the limits of the elderly driver. Add to that the high speed movement of other vehicles and the driver becomes overloaded and seeks to ignore their surroundings only looking at the section of road in front of the car. Elderly female drivers can become easily panicked which may require use of the dual controls to calm the situation down. The instructor must not hesitate to seize control of the vehicle to avoid an accident.

Instructors must always be compassionate when considering taking a licence from an elderly driver. When you take away a licence you take away everything that the licence allows then to do, cutting down their personal freedom and leaving them house bound in some cases. As they cannot provide for their basic needs without a vehicle they become reliant on outside service providers.

A form of graduated licence may be the answer with restrictions on the carrying of passengers and distance travelled from a home address. Instructors must do all they can to preserve the self sufficiency of older drivers whilst maintaining a high level of road safety.

by: Russ Chaplin

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