Without so much as a tap on the brakes, my aunt whizzed through
another stop sign.
"What are you doing?" I shrieked. "That was a stop sign."
"Oh," she replied rather offhandedly, "they just put those there
so you'll look before you go into an intersection."
That was the day I stopped riding with my aunt but not the day
she stopped driving. From then on, I had visions of an enormous
pink Chevy leading a parade of cascading accidents. And I wasn't
far from wrong.
She drove with what she knew to be the utmost caution. . .
.never exceeding 30 miles per hour, even on I35! She expected,
even demanded that traffic would give way to her like the seas
parted for Moses. Sometimes, it did. But mostly, driving with
her was a harrowing experience with no end in sight.
So, when do the elderly become a menace on the roads? And, what
can you do when they refuse to give up the keys? Here are a few
suggestions I've found.
Causes for Concern
Poor Vision - Cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration can
reduce visual acuity and limit visual fields, so a yearly eye
exam is imperative for the elderly driver. Ask the doctor about
driving, and don't take the word of the elderly driver on the
results of her exam.
Poor Hearing - Something as simple as a clogged ear passage can
create a hearing loss. A doctor can identify the problem and
offer solutions, so have elderly hearing checked yearly.
Poor Flexibility and Limited Range of Motion - Good drivers rely
on looking out rear and side windows as well as checking
rearview mirrors. When a driver lacks the ability to turn his
head and shoulders to look outside, he may not see oncoming
vehicles or obstacles traveling in the car's blindspot.
Reduced Reaction Time - As we age, we slow down, and reaction
times diminish. Keeping extra space between the driver's and
other cars can help reduce the likelihood of accidents, but
there comes a time when reactions are too slow for road safety.
Click here for a reaction time test that will show you
graphically how far you travel after you see a red light!
How to Get (and Keep) the Keys
A few states, , require road tests for persons over 65 when
their licenses are renewed. An additional sss states require
vision tests with license renewals. Consider yourself fortunate
if you live in one of these states because it may be that the
state will refuse to renew the elder's license. If you live
elsewhere, here are a few tricks to try.
Talk with your Elder about the Convenience of Mass Transit -
Many mass transit authorities have special services and special
fares for the elderly and disabled. Check with your local
transit authority. And talk with your elder about how nice it is
to be able to enjoy the scenery while someone else does the
driving.
Give Your Elder a Refresher Course - Not only will a refresher
course improve road awareness, it may help your elder earn a
discount on his car insurance. Courses and informative pamphlets
are available from the AARP, AAA, and the AAA Foundation for
Traffic Safety. You'll find links to these sites at the end of
this article.
Report unsafe driving to your local Department of Public Safety.
They may have additional help to offer you.
"Break" the Car - My teenagers unplugged a few vital wires when
my father, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, refused to
relinquish the keys. We knew his cognitive ability was far too
impaired for him to recognize the problem, and he was always
comforted when we said we'd have the car repaired "soon."
Remove the Keys - Distract your elder from finding "lost" keys
by offering an immediate alternative way to go somewhere. While
this may be the most unpleasant way to stop your elder from
driving, remember that you are not only protecting him but all
the rest of us as well.
And what happened to my aunt? She got a ticket from a wonderful
traffic officer whom we all blessed on a daily basis! Fearing
the loss of her auto insurance, she voluntarily gave up driving.
Web Resources
Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully is a free booklet you can
read online.
AARP offers a refresher course for elderly drivers as well as a
number of other helpful resources. See their site at
http://www.aarp.org/55alive/.
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has a terrific new site,
seniordrivers.org, that you shouldn't miss if you're a senior
driver or have a senior driver in your family. Exercises,
examples of perceptual loss due to aging, emergency tips, and
much, much more - all free. Please don't miss it!
For more in depth information on elderly drivers, see the OLR
research report
About the author:
Phyllis Staff, Ph.D. - Phyllis Staff is an experimental
psychologist and the CEO of The Best Is Yet.Net, an internet
company that helps seniors and caregivers find trustworthy
residential care. She is the author of How to Find Great Senior
Housing: A Roadmap for Elders and Those Who Love Them. She is
also the daughter of a victim of Alzheimer's disease. Visit the
author's web site at http://www.thebestisyet.net.
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