Is Your Louisville Senior Loved One Driving Safely?
According to AARP, here are the reasons why seniors should stop driving
Plenty of seniors can drive well, but impairments that come with age have to be considered.
“The rate of deaths involving drivers 75 to 84 is about three per million miles driven – about the same as teen drivers, according to a report by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Once they pass age 85, vehicular fatality rates jump to nearly four times that of teens.
“In my opinion, gramps may be slow and drive me nuts by cruising at 40 mph on the interstate, but he sure as heck is safer than most of us," writes Gayatri Devi, MD. “The first fender bender, more than the age of the driver, may be the best indicator of the need for further evaluation of driving.”
The rate of crashes among adults 65 and over has decreased in recent years. This drop is due to a number of reasons, including better older adult health, safer cars, and safer roads.
“In addition, older drivers’ ability to ‘police’ themselves – like not driving at night – and stricter state laws for renewal of driver’s licenses may help,” according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).
Common mistakes of older drivers include failing to yield the right of way, failing to stay in their lane, misjudging the time or distance needed to turn in front of traffic, failing to stop completely at a stop sign, and speeding or driving too slowly.
Medical issues to consider include whether a senior has had their hearing and vision checked recently, had a physical exam in the past year to test reflexes, and have made sure they don’t have illness that would impact their driving.
The CDC suggests several measures to maintain the safety of senior drivers, including exercising regularly to increase strength and flexibility, driving during daylight and good weather, finding the safest route with well-lit streets, using intersections with left turn arrows, and easy parking.
The CDC also suggests planning your route before you drive, leaving a large following distance behind the car in front of you, and avoiding distractions in your car (such as listening to a loud radio, talking on your cell phone, texting, and eating).
You should also consider potential alternatives to driving, such as riding with a friend or using public transit, so you can still get around.
According to AARP, you should stop driving if you:
- Find yourself almost crashing, with frequent close calls
- Discover dents and scrapes on your car or on fences, mailboxes, garage doors, and curbs
- Are getting lost, especially in familiar locations
- Have trouble seeing or following traffic signals, road signs, and pavement markings
Click here to learn more about the different signs of senior driver impairments
Source: https://www.kindredhealthcare.com/our-services/transitional-care-hospitals/healthcare-professionals/healthcare-headlines/5-healthcare-trends-in-2019-your-cheat-sheet
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