Driving feels like independence for many adults. As we age, our driving skills may (or not!) change. Deciding that your older relative should no longer drive is challenging — and may be met with a lot of resistance. 

Photo by Maksim Goncharenok from Pexels

However, if a person you know shows signs that his or her driving skills are changing, it might be time to talk to them about it. Most people lose their ability to drive in old age when health issues dealing with eyesight, sleep, mobility, and memory come into play.

According to the CDC, in 2017, there were almost 44 million licensed drivers aged 65 and older in the United States — a 63 percent increase from 1999. “Older drivers, particularly those aged 75+, have higher crash death rates than middle-aged drivers (aged 35-54),” the CDC reports. 

Old Driver Safety Awareness Week is Dec. 7-11. This week is dedicated to the awareness of driving abilities in old age and the importance of mobility when older adults can no longer drive. 

Here are some of the signs they may not be driving safely. 

5 Signs a Driver Isn’t Driving Safely 

  1. Drifting, making sudden lane changes, sudden braking for no reason. Our first sign is pretty obvious. If you notice an older driver is making dangerous mistakes like drifting, sudden lane changes or slamming on breaks, you’ll know something isn’t right. 
  2. He or she gets disoriented or lost quickly. Another critical signal that it’s time to take the keys is if an older driver gets disoriented or even lost easily. Driving takes full attention and focus, and if a person has a hard time remembering where they are or where they were going, driving can become very dangerous. 
  3. Your driver has had multiple traffic citations. Sure, most people have gotten a ticket or two in their lives, but there is a certain point when it can become a concern. If an older driver has been given multiple citations in the past year or two for potentially dangerous reasons, you should consider whether it’s time for him or her to stop driving.
  4. She or he has vision problems such as cataracts and glaucoma. Good vision is one of the most critical aspects of driving safely. Eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma can affect a person’s ability to see, causing a recipe for disaster when mixed with driving. An optometrist can manage and treat these diseases, so your driver may be just fine. However, if their vision is seriously impaired, he or she should not drive. 
  5. Medications that affect motor skills or reaction times. Older people tend to take medications, some of which can negatively impact their ability to drive. Here is a list of some medicines that may affect driving. If an older person close to you is driving while on medications, make sure they are okay to be driving. If not, it’s time to limit their driving until they are no longer taking that medication. 

How to Discuss Safe Driving with Your Older Driver

Many people don’t want to stop driving, even if they know they should. If you have older relatives, it’s best to discuss this idea with them long before you become concerned for their safety. 

During that conversation, talk about what will happen as they age and how they want to handle situations such as driving. Discuss options to maintain that person’s mobility, whether it’s someone who lives with them or public transportation and car ride services. (The CDC has a customizable mobility plan.) Some people choose to move to a more dense area to walk to a few stores more easily. Otherwise, a person in a suburban home may feel like they are trapped on an island. 

When you feel it’s time to reduce that person’s driving, talk to him or her about the signs you’ve observed and your concerns for his or her safety. Frame it not as “taking the keys away” — that feels like taking away freedom — but as a change to a new system. Check out these talking points to help guide the conversation. 

If you are concerned about an older driver in your life, talk to us for other ideas. Find a JCMC doctor now.