Agents of Drive - A car blog by a team of undercover agents(ish

3 people, 6 cars and a whole lotta fun!

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Featured
  • Cars
  • Car Buying
  • In Car Stuff
  • Driving Guides
  • Contact Me

How to Take Care of Senior Drivers

October 4, 2019 10:29 am Filed to: Cars by Jerry

What happens when the elderly in our care start losing their ability to drive? How do we know if they’re safe behind the wheel? Is there a right age to consider quitting driving? How can we deal with aging drivers within our family?

Senior drivers and road safety

While drivers above the age of 60 (that is, from 60 all the way to 99 years old) account for about 25% of the population, they represent less than 20% of serious injuries. This age group is much less likely to cause accidents than the 18-24 years old segment.

This clearly shows that experience plays in their favour, and that the driving style of older drivers is generally safer, albeit slower. As expected, when people grow older, many tend to give up driving by themselves. Whenever they are involved in accidents nonetheless, the physical injuries are often more fatal than a similar accident to a younger person. When that happens it is important to contact a car accident lawyer to help you claim compensations for any injury caused by the accident.

1.     Never forget health

In general we all lose eyesight, hearing and reflexes with age. Whenever a driver (senior or not) needs to wear glasses to drive, a second pair of glasses is a must-have and can be kept in the glove compartment.

In most states, regular medical checks are required by law every five or ten years, but more frequent checks can help prevent a road accident due to bad eyesight for example. As people get older, their eyesight does worsen. This is known as Presbyopia. This refers to when people can have difficulty seeing things up close. This can be problematic on roads, so it’s important to get checkups or laser eye surgery (see here) to try and improve vision.

2.     Consider alternatives to driving

Most senior citizens want to quit driving of their own will at a certain point, but if they fear that their social life may be affected negatively, they may postpone this decision.

The more they can rely on cheap taxis, home deliveries for their groceries, and public transport, the more likely they will make the step. With close relatives, the possibility to have a personal chauffeur and to see that their family cares about them, the better.

Most importantly, visiting them in their home is a very strong sign that they do not need to get out to socialize.

3.     Choose to drive less, little by little

Usually senior drivers exert caution and tend to respect speed limits. Having a car for small trips to the supermarket or to visit relatives close by is a great way to drive regularly.

Older drivers should avoid travelling on very hot days or when weather conditions affect visibility, e.g. when it’s raining. Driving in the rain is a challenge for every motorist regardless of age. However, with age it can be even more challenging as your reaction time drops significantly.

Also, with age, concentration and stress can make journeys above 3 hours dangerous. Highways are safer than smaller roads because there are no crossings, but driving at reduced speed is advisable. 

For longer journeys, the best you can do is offer to drive. Make sure that the seniors feel safe as your passengers, but also comfortable. Small acts of contribution like letting them choose the music or stopping when they need to are important. Go a long way to make it acceptable and convenient for them to be a passenger.

4.     Which car?

When choosing a car for seniors, speed and performance should come second to safety equipment such as airbags. Sedans probably offer the best compromise between stability and safety.

Regular car maintenance greatly helps and you may be in a position to take care of the visits to the auto shop if it is not their favorite activity.

The car they choose should ideally have seats that can be adjusted in height. Make sure that the electronic controls are well understood and if needed consider entry-level models with more basic controls.

Like young drivers, senior drivers may find it difficult to multitask. Common driver distractions such as mobile phones can be even more dangerous for them. Remind them that satellite navigation should always be handled while the car is parked and that the telephone ban applies to all drivers.

The problem of senior drivers is likely to be solved when autonomous cars become a common way to move around. Until then, however, these tips can help the senior drivers you know find the right balance when it comes to driving or take the decision to quit driving.

Previous post
Driving with an Unsecured Dog and Other Road Rules You Could Be Breaking
Next post
Choose Car Insurance where You will be Maximum Benefited

Recent Posts

  • Does CBD Oil Help Relieve Acid Reflux
  • Do CBD Gummies Work? The Truth About Edibles – According to Psychologist Anastasia Filipenko
  • How to Rent a Car with Discount Code and Save Money?
  • Things to Know Before Getting a High-Output Alternator
  • Reasons to Do a DIY Car Stereo Installation

Categories

  • Aston Martin (1)
  • Audi (4)
  • Bikes and Cycles (6)
  • Car Buying (35)
  • Cars (106)
  • Convertible (1)
  • Driving Guides (19)
  • Entertainment Only (4)
  • Featured (25)
  • First Drive (1)
  • Ford (4)
  • Future Cars (4)
  • Hyundai (1)
  • In Car Stuff (8)
  • Injury (4)
  • Lamborghini (1)
  • Mercedes (1)
  • mini (1)
  • Motor Sport (1)
  • New Cars (5)
  • Reviews (9)
  • Toyota (3)
  • Truck Buyers (2)
  • Volkswagen (6)

OUR VALUED SPONSORS

SPONSORED LINKS

Special Offers : Save on quality tires with these manufacturer's promotions available from Tire Rack.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

POPULAR PORSCHE POSTS

Does CBD Oil Help Relieve Acid Reflux

Do CBD Gummies Work? The Truth About Edibles – According to Psychologist Anastasia Filipenko

How to Rent a Car with Discount Code and Save Money?

Things to Know Before Getting a High-Output Alternator

Reasons to Do a DIY Car Stereo Installation

3 Myths About Leasing a Vehicle Busted, How You Can Lease a Toyota Today

Find us on Facebook

  • November 2022
  • May 2022
  • February 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • January 2015
  • November 2014

Some Reader Favorites

Does CBD Oil Help Relieve Acid Reflux

Do CBD Gummies Work? The Truth About Edibles – According to Psychologist Anastasia Filipenko

How to Rent a Car with Discount Code and Save Money?

Things to Know Before Getting a High-Output Alternator

Reasons to Do a DIY Car Stereo Installation

Latest Tweets

  • Noisli - background noise and color generator for working and relaxing http://t.co/1YU7uPET9Z @noisliover a year ago
  • How to Build a Mobile App That Empowers Your Brand http://t.co/CyZtYDgjl4over a year ago
  • Я смотрю трансляцию NASAtelevision в прямом эфире на @Ustream! Присоединяйтесь http://t.co/SPe2NL4tbp !over a year ago

Looking For Something?

STAY CONNECTED WITH FLATSIXES

Back to top

Copyright © Flatsixes.com 2015 · All Rights Reserved

Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Tweet