Do you worry about your senior relative’s driving skills? As people age, their hearing, vision, and reflexes might deteriorate. If the senior is dealing with dementia, Alzheimer's, or other cognitive conditions, the risk of motor accidents is higher.

If you think senior driving accidents are not a major source of concern, you might want to think again: according to the CDC, in 2020, around 7,500 older adults were killed in traffic accidents, with over 100,000 treated in emergency departments for injuries. Plus, data also suggests that drivers aged 70+ tend to have higher crash death rates per 1,000 crashes than middle-aged drivers (aged 35-54). 

So, when should an older loved one give up driving? Is there a set age? Read on for more information on what factors play a part in determining when a senior should give up driving.

The Importance of Driving for Seniors

Driving is an essential activity. Your senior relative probably relies on driving to go to banks, the post office, the drugstore, and more. As they age, they become increasingly dependent on it to complete a slew of everyday tasks, from getting groceries and engaging in community activities to meeting friends and visiting family. The thought of giving up driving entirely can make your senior relative or friend feel dependent, insecure, and sad. 

According to research, the idea of giving up driving can conjure feelings of angst and helplessness. No one wants to accept that they are facing cognitive, visual, mobility, hearing, or any other issues. Plus, carrying groceries while walking can become a much more challenging task for seniors. They will also have to depend on friends, family, or public transportation to get around. To make matters worse, giving up driving can cause other mental and physical problems because of the lack of acceptance. 

Most people tend to ignore the level of emotional attachment seniors have with a car. It is not something that is of purely functional and utilitarian value. For many, it is also a status symbol and a matter of pride. Hence, it is essential to tackle the issue with great care. A car also empowers seniors to be helpful to others by allowing them to volunteer and helps others. This boosts their identity and self-confidence. Hence, losing the ability to drive can take an emotional toll on seniors.

Top Factors to Consider

Firstly, it’s important to note that not all seniors should stop driving. A person's age is not an indicator of how well they drive. However, there are a few tell-tale factors and signs that can affect your driving, irrespective of your age, as per the National Institute of Aging:

• Stiff joints and weakened muscles (as a result of aging) can negatively impact the senior’s driving skills. Most adults suffer from arthritis, which can lower their driving skills.
• Troubles with eyesight (due to glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration) can make it difficult for seniors to view people or things outside their direct line of sight. They may even find it difficult to read the traffic signal or have ongoing problems with the headlight glare coming from the opposite end.
• Troubled hearing can make it harder to hear horns, sirens, and noises from the car.
• Mental issues such as dementia can cause further problems as the senior’s memory, and decision-making skills worsen.
• Slower reflexes, shorter attention spans, and lower response time can further amplify the problem as the senior may not be able to multi-task or react quickly (such as putting on the brakes, for instance). Furthermore, if the senior is dealing with muscular or joint issues, it can be difficult for them to steer the wheel or use the foot pedals correctly.
• After-effects of certain medications can make it increasingly difficult for seniors to drive as it may cause them to feel drowsy, light-headed, and less alert.
• If seniors have trouble making a left turn, changing lanes, or using the expressway ramps, it might be a good idea to think about reducing or giving up driving altogether.
• If you notice dents in the car or if they are routinely having "near misses," it is a sign for the senior to think about giving up driving.

Questions to Determine Whether or Not Seniors Should Still Be Driving

In addition to the factors mentioned above, the National Institute of Aging lists a helpful set of questions you can ask yourself to understand whether you should give up driving or not. The following questions can help you identify if it’s time for your senior loved one to consider giving up driving:

• Does the senior feel like other drivers are constantly honking at them?
• Does your loved one constantly find themselves in accidents, particularly "fender benders"?
• Do they sometimes get lost, even when the roads are familiar to them?
• Does the senior talk about how the cars and people around seem to appear out of nowhere?
• Do they get distracted while driving quite often?
• Do you or other family members, friends, and/or the doctor feel the need to talk to the senior about how worried you are about them driving?
• Is the senior driving a lot less these days because they are not as confident about their driving as they used to be?
• Does the senior have trouble staying in their lane or changing lanes?
• Does the senior have trouble moving their foot between the gas and the brake pedals or do they sometimes confuse the two?
• Have they been pulled over quite often by a police officer about their driving?
• Does the senior seem to have anxiety at night about driving the next day?

If the answer to all or most of these questions is 'yes,' it might be a good idea to talk to your doctor to understand the next steps.

Now that you understand some of the signs and indicators let's talk about how seniors can give up driving. 

Top Strategies to Help Seniors Give Up Driving Easily

There is no set age when everyone should stop diving. Each person is different. Thus, it’s vital to pay close attention to identify signs that indicate it’s time for your senior loved one to give up driving. If the issues are minor, you can take a look at the strategies mentioned by the NIA and speak to the doctor about them. However, if your senior relative or friend is facing significant problems, giving driving might be a good idea. Here are some strategies that can help seniors phase out driving so that it does not come as a rude shock:

• Get family and friends to monitor the senior’s driving ability and lower their driving outings to as few trips as possible.
• Get the senior to talk to their family or even a therapist about what giving up driving means for them. This will help your senior relative get the emotional and practical support they need.
• Ask the senior to visit a driving clinic to get an accurate driving assessment and see the quality of their driving.
• Help them plan to give up driving and prepare for it. As with many things, mentally preparing for changes ahead of time can make them easier to accept when they actually come around. You can help your loved one prepare by helping them drive less in busy traffic, avoiding the motorway as well as complex junctions, and driving less often in the darkness or during inclement weather as a good starting point while also talking about the possibility of not driving in the future

You could also look into getting your elderly loved one enrolled in a senior living community for added support and care. Being a part of a senior community poses multiple advantages: your loved one won't have to go for grocery runs as they'll have their meals planned out, and they can leverage the transportation services of the healthcare facility to visit family or go for other social outings instead of constantly asking other neighbors, friends, or family for a lift (which can feel like an imposition). Your loved one will also meet people who have faced similar circumstances and can bond with them, and they will get their lost sense of independence, control, freedom, and status back with a community of like-minded people.

Driving is a prime indicator of self-serving and independence for people. It also helps bring about feelings of normalcy and helps the seniors feel like they are an integral part of society. This is why most people, particularly seniors, hesitate to give it up. However, if your loved one is struggling with staying on the road, it might be time to give up driving. Remember, it's always wise to place health before everything else, including their sense of independence. 

Looking for a senior care center that meets your individual needs while placing your comfort at the forefront and providing quality care? Consider visiting the team at  Brookfield Senior Living. We offer a wide range of services--from rehabilitation to long-term care. Contact us today to learn more.