subject: The Elderly and Driving: Safety Tips [print this page] The Elderly and Driving: Safety Tips The Elderly and Driving: Safety Tips
As people age, there are certain safety concerns that must be considered that have not been an issue before. The physical changes that age has on the body can easily affect the ability of someone to continue to drive safely. Changes in vision, reflexes, and response time can contribute to a driver not being able to adapt to the quick nature of traffic. Although the decline of the senses and reflexes can cause problems, age itself is not an indicator of whether or not a person is capable of driving safely.The ability of an individual to drive safely should be based upon their capacity to react to the demands of traffic, not of their age. When considering whether an elderly loved one should continue driving or not, take a ride with them. By paying attention to their abilities, and keeping their age in the back of your mind, you will be able to fairly determine whether or not they should continue to drive themselves.When riding along with an elderly loved one, observe how they retain control of the vehicle. By carefully watching how they drive, you will be able to decide if it is safe for them, as well as for those who share the road with them, to continue to be at the wheel. Any kinds of problems should be obvious if you pay attention. Consider the following:- Speed: Is your loved one observing the speed limit? Driving too slow or too fast can be a danger to both the driver and the other cars on the road. A margin of about five miles per hour, in both directions of the speed limit, is a safe measure. Anything above or below that could cause the driver to either cause an accident or get a ticket.- Road Signs: Your loved one should be able to adhere to all of the road signs. Stop signs, yield signs, one-way signs, etc. must all be observed and obeyed. If the driver fails to obey these signs he or she could get into an accident or be pulled over by the police. Furthermore, they should be able to see the signs. If the individual wears corrective lens or some other device to see, they need to use this while they are driving.- Interaction with Other Vehicles: A safe distance from other vehicles should be maintained at all times. If a driver follows too closely, does not yield to someone else who has the right of way, or is not able to detect vehicles to either side he or she should not continue driving. By interacting improperly with other vehicles on the road a driver can cause a serious accident or endanger themselves. - Control: The most basic rule of the road, the driver must retain control of the vehicle at all times. A driver who drifts between lanes or seems out of sorts should not continue to operate a vehicle.Just because a person gets older does not mean that he or she is incapable of driving. When deciding if your loved one should continue to operate a motor vehicle, it is crucial that you give the benefit of the doubt and observe them. If at any point in time the driver breaks laws or seems unable to maintain control, then it should be suggested that he or she not drive anymore. However, if your loved one is capable of driving in a way that is safe and upholds the laws, then allow them to continue driving, regardless of their age.
