Driving and Age

Question: I’ve been driving a car since I was a young man and I am proud to say I’ve never had an accident or gotten a ticket for a moving violation. My family keeps putting pressure on me to voluntarily give up my license and sell my car—they think I’m too old to be driving. Just because I’m in my 80s doesn’t mean I’m suddenly dangerous once I get behind the wheel. How do I convince them it is still safe for me to drive?

Answer:It is estimated that in the year 2020, 50 million adults in the United States will be 65 years of age or older. Approximately 90 percent of this population will be licensed to drive. As we share the road with more and more older drivers a dilemma arises between acknowledging an older adult’s desire to continue driving and determining their ability to drive safely. This topic evokes strong feelings in both older drivers and families or friends who are concerned about them.

It is important to note that advanced age alone is not an indication that someone presents a danger to themselves or others by being behind the wheel of a car. However, vision, hearing, muscle strength, flexibility, and reflex time often decrease as we get older. Older drivers need to be aware of possible limitations and responsibly take precautions for safety’s sake.

You should be able to safely drive if 1.) you have good vision; 2.) you display no symptoms of dementia; 3.) you don’t have any medical conditions that could present a risk while behind the wheel; and 4.) You are careful about medications that could interfere with your judgment or reflexes. Even when minimal problems start to develop it doesn’t mean driving should stop abruptly. Many older adults willingly and gradually limit their driving by staying closer to home, avoiding driving after dark, limit driving during poor weather conditions, and refrain from driving on populated, high-speed highways.

For your family’s peace of mind, take them for an occasional ride to show you are not a hazard on the road. Calmly communicate the fact you have no intentions of endangering yourself or anyone else. Reassure them that you wouldn’t be getting behind the wheel if you weren’t confident in your abilities. Try not to become too defensive during these discussions. Even tempers on both sides will contribute to a beneficial dialogue.

Unfortunately, there continues to be a stigma about the ability of older adults to manage some areas of functioning once they reach a certain age. All any of us can do is prove the doubting Thomases wrong and dispel the thoughts about older drivers.