Is It Safe To Continue Driving?

More than 48 million licensed drivers in the United States are 65 or older. Driving is important to many older adults because it allows them to remain independent. However, the risk of accidents and injuries increases with age, and it’s essential to understand age-related risks while driving and how to stay safe on the road.

What Are Some Of The Risks Of Driving For Seniors?

Many physical and cognitive changes can happen with age. Some of those changes may affect your driving capabilities.

Joints and muscles: It’s not uncommon for joints and muscles to stiffen or weaken with age. Changes to your joints and muscles can make it challenging to react quickly, decreasing your reaction times and increasing your risk of accidents. Changes to joints and muscles can also make it hard to move your head to check traffic, blind spots, and brake safely.
Eyesight: Your vision may change with age, making it harder to see things, such as signs, people, or other cars, while driving. Some seniors also experience changes to their night vision, which can cause glares or blurriness when there’s not enough light.
Hearing: Many seniors have trouble hearing as they age. You want keen hearing if an ambulance or other noise can alert you to a nearby car or pedestrian.
Memory: Lapses in your memory may make it harder to remember basic driving rules.

Signs You May Need To Limit Your Driving

Not every senior needs to limit their driving. However, if you relate to one or more of the following, it may be time to consider new ways of transportation.

You often forget to use a turn signal
You feel overwhelmed while driving
You feel slow when reacting to situations in the car
Your emotions or mood affect your driving
You’ve been in a motor accident in the last six months
You’ve received a driving violation in the last six months
Loved ones have expressed concerns about your driving
You were recently diagnosed with a condition that could affect your driving, like dementia
You take medications that can affect your driving

Staying Safe While You Drive

Safe driving may feel like an innate routine if you’ve been driving since you were a teenager, but checking in with yourself every time you get in the driver’s seat is good.

Always wear a seat belt. You must wear a seat belt even if you only drive a few blocks or through residential roads.
Follow the rules of the road. It’s crucial for your safety and the safety of other drivers to follow road rules, including speed limits, using turn signals, and following road signs.
Make sure your hearing and vision are healthy enough for safe driving. Your vision and hearing are essential to safe driving. Get your hearing and vision tested regularly to ensure you’re healthy enough to stay behind the wheel.

Getting Around Jasper Without Driving

Admitting that you may need to stop driving can be upsetting, but it doesn’t have to signal a loss of independence. If you can’t drive or will drive less, consider the following alternatives to getting around town.

Family and Friends

Connect with friends and loved ones and see if they’d be willing to provide transportation. Ask if you can join them when they run errands or if it’s okay for them to help with appointments. It can feel uncomfortable asking for help, but you may be surprised by how many loved ones are willing to assist you when needed.

Rideshares

If you don’t have loved ones nearby who can provide a ride, you can use a ride-share program. Rideshares like Lyft or Uber allow you to schedule pickups and drop-offs anywhere in your city. You can also share your location with friends who use the app if you’re nervous about getting in the car with a stranger.

Visiting Angels Caregiver

Visiting Angels offers many at-home care services to help seniors live independently, including transportation and errand assistance. Not only will our caregivers drive you to appointments or stores, but we can join you on your errand, offering further assistance such as mobility help. You can learn more about our services by contacting us and scheduling a complimentary consultation with a member of our care team.