Many organizations have mature-driver improvement courses that can help refine driving skills and teach adaptations.
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What safety tips can you recommend for older drivers? My elderly parent had a fender bender last month, and I worry about their safety.
As the number of Americans driving past their 70s increases, there are a variety of things to do to help maintain or improve your parent’s driving skills. Here are some recommendations by driving rehabilitation specialists who work with older drivers.
Get an eye exam: Since the information relevant to driving is predominantly visual, getting an eye exam is a great step toward ensuring safety. Annual checkups are recommended to keep track of vision and to ensure eyewear aligns with changes in vision over time.
Get a physical or wellness exam: It is very important to monitor changes in overall health as it relates to driving, which medical conditions like arthritis, dementia, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, sleep apnea and stroke can all affect.
Many seniors may use various medications, or combinations of medications, that can potentially lead to drowsiness or lightheadedness. Potential side effects can impair judgment, reflexes and alertness. Conducting annual examinations and medication reviews is a wise way to ensure safer driving.
Take a refresher course: Many organizations have mature-driver improvement courses that can help refine driving skills and teach adaptations to slower reflexes, diminished vision and other age-related physical changes. Taking a class may also earn a discount on auto insurance. To locate a class, search online or check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Most courses cost around $20 to $30 and can be taken online.
Make some adjustments: Adjusting when and where driving occurs is another way to help stay safe. Some simple adjustments include not driving after dark or during rush hour traffic, avoiding major highways or other busy roads, and not driving in poor weather conditions.
Evaluate driving: To stay on top of your parent’s driving abilities, you should take a ride with them from time to time to determine problem areas. Some things to look out for include driving at inappropriate speeds, tailgating, drifting between lanes, difficulty seeing, backing up or changing lanes, reacting slowly, confusion or making poor driving decisions.
If your parent needs a more comprehensive evaluation, you can seek assistance from a driver rehabilitation specialist, who is trained to evaluate older drivers and offer suggestions and adaptations to help keep them safe. This type of assessment can run anywhere between $100 to $500 or more. To find a specialist in your area, conduct an online search with terms like “driving practitioner directory.”
If driving is no longer safe, you should compile a list of names and phone numbers of family, friends and local transportation services that can be called on for a ride. To find out what transportation services are available, contact the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116, which will direct you to your area’s agency on aging for assistance.
“Savvy Living” is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to NBC’s “Today Show.” The column, and others like it, is available to read via The American Legion’s Planned Giving program, a way of establishing your legacy of support for the organization while providing for your current financial needs. Learn more about the process, and the variety of charitable programs you can benefit, at legion.org/plannedgiving. Consider naming The American Legion in your will or trust as a part of your personal legacy. Clicking on “Learn more” will bring up an “E-newsletter” button, where you can sign up for regular information from Planned Giving.
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