Part 1 of a two-part series on driving decisions as we age. Read Part 2 here.
When my grandmother repeatedly backed the mailbox out of her driveway, she at all times had an evidence: “The sun was in my eyes” or “Your grandfather distracted me.” Our family knew we would have liked to take motion. But nobody desired to be the one to inform him to stop driving. She was fiercely independent, didn't agree that her driving was an issue, and didn't appreciate our concerns.
Maybe the same story is unfolding in your loved ones. Or perhaps you're just beginning to take into consideration your skills. As a part of a two-part series, this post goals to assist people understand what red flags to search for, and why driving skills change as people age. It also explains a couple of ways to enhance poor driving and navigate challenges.
A second post will address ways to strike a balance that respects dignity and safety by providing an motion plan for older drivers and their families.
How secure are older drivers on the road?
An unsafe driver will be any age, especially when drinking is involved. But in response to data from the National Safety Council, fatal traffic accidents amongst each young drivers and older drivers have increased:
While younger drivers could also be inexperienced or more more likely to be distracted or careless, older drivers often Overestimate their driving skills.. This could also be one reason why many unsafe older drivers proceed to drive despite failing driving skills.
Rate of motorcar accidents, per mile driven Higher for drivers age 80 and older. than nearly every other age group, in response to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Only the youngest drivers have higher rates. And the speed of lethal Motor vehicle crashes per mile driven are higher for drivers 85 and older than for each other age group.
These statistics reflect the undeniable fact that an elderly driver is probably not the just one injured or killed in a crash – a number of occupants could also be as well. And then there's the danger to pedestrians and cyclists.
Clearly, the stakes are high when an unsafe driver is on the road. For older drivers with reduced driving skills, it’s important to acknowledge this problem and understand why it is occurring. The following 4 steps are a superb start.
1. Seeing any red flags?
As people grow old, driving skills can decline so slowly that it's not obvious that worrisome changes are occurring. Even when accidents and near misses occur, there are such a lot of potential contributors — especially other drivers — that it is probably not clear that the older driver was at fault.
Red flags which will mean an older person is an unsafe driver include:
- Relevant comments from family or friends
- Reluctance of others to ride with them
- input from other drivers (Why is everyone calling me?or traffic authorities (Why am I getting all these traffic tickets?)
- Getting lost on familiar roads
- Constantly driving too slowly or too fast
- Unexplained dents or scratches appearing on the automobile
- Repeated accidents or near misses.
2. Why do driving skills decline with age?
While the elderly can do Drive safely (and lots of do!). Driving skills may be lost. Due to:
- Medical conditionsimilar to arthritis, neuropathy, or dementia
- Medicinessimilar to sedatives or certain antidepressants
- Age-related changes in response time
- Problems with vision or hearing
- Other physical changes related to aging, similar to reduced flexibility or strength
- Difficulty changing information quickly. For example, an older driver is more more likely to unintentionally hit the gas pedal as an alternative of the brake when a sudden stop is required than a younger driver.
3. What can and can’t be done to enhance driving?
Some changes that impair driving will be reversed or an answer found. For example, if cataracts impair driving, cataract surgery can restore vision and improve driving. If it’s difficult to drive at night, it is healthier to drive only through the day. If memory problems are beginning to develop, it should still be possible to drive safely in additional limited conditions.
Driving problems as a result of advanced dementia or a serious stroke affecting judgment and physical skills are less more likely to improve.
4. Accept that the conversation about not driving is difficult.
If there's no easy strategy to reverse or work around declining driving skills, accept that there might be many challenges to navigate, whether you're an older driver or a member of the family.
Challenges faced by the driving force:
- Declining verbs will not be easy to acknowledge. Impaired driving is a troubling milestone, indicating that the longer term may include further lack of abilities.
- It can feel unnecessary and irrational. Most older people faced with the choice of whether or not it’s secure to proceed driving were good drivers way back. They should still see themselves as a reliable driver, and see attempts to limit their driving as overly cautious or insulting.
- Denial and defensiveness are common. Even when all of the signs are present, it will possibly be tempting for a poor driver to shift blame (for instance, in charge other drivers).
- Not driving is a lack of freedom. Sure, there are other ways to get around and non-drivers can definitely be autonomous. But few alternatives rival the liberty that comes with with the ability to drive yourself. And, depending on where you reside, public transportation or other alternatives to driving could also be limited.
Challenges faced by the family:
- Often, the older driver doesn’t share his family's concerns about driving safety. This can result in arguments, confrontations and resentment.
- The safety of others is in danger. An older driver with declining skills can endanger many individuals besides themselves: their carers, other drivers and their passengers, cyclists and pedestrians.
- It's hard to know when the fitting time is. Speaking too soon can result in unnecessary restrictions on a loved one's favorite technique of transportation, not to say family feuds. Waiting too long can result in avoidable tragedy.
Finding a way forward
As for my grandmother, none of us knew what to say. Should we attempt to persuade him to stop driving altogether or ease him into the thought over time? He may stop driving at night or limit his driving to short distances. Should we bring this to her doctor's attention and direct them on next steps? Or should we take an excellent more drastic step and report it to the authorities?
If you're asking similar questions—or for those who're just beginning to take into consideration your individual driving skills—you could feel strongly that it's necessary to respect individual preferences, dignity, and freedom. Yet you furthermore may need to protect everyone from harm.
What are one of the best ways to balance? Can you test and improve how an older driver is doing behind the wheel? Can you navigate difficult conversations in ways in which allow for each freedom and safety? These are the topics that might be discussed in Part 2.