Older Driver Safety Awareness Week

December 1 - 5 is designated as Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. As we grow older, there are inevitable changes in physical, mental and sensory abilities. The purpose of this week is to promote understanding of the importance of transportation for the older community so that they can stay active in their communities. MMHD is currently working on developing a transportation program to help meet some of the needs of older drivers.


Identifying changes that can affect driving:

Whether we want to admit it or not, we all get older. Our vision changes, our reflexes slow down and we may have a decreased awareness of the many things around us while driving.

A publication of the Hartford and MIT AgeLab titled “We Need to Talk…Family Conversations with Older Drivers” guides younger family members through the potentially difficult talk that may be needed if an aging relative’s driving abilities are declining.

 

The ideal time to have that first conversation about driving safety is actually before the older adult has trouble behind the wheel, as the guide explains. Initial talks, helping to set the course for free-flowing dialogue on the topic, can take on a more casual form, for example, a discussion of some recent car accident covered in the news or touching on driving as part of a larger conversation emphasizing the importance of health and safety, according to info in the publication.

 

Family members need to be aware of possible changes in their older relatives. Having the discussion about driving may be difficult, but sometimes necessary.

 

 

•Gather all the facts: This means they should educate themselves on the signs of declining driving, take stock of their family member’s driving abilities and seek out patterns that could indicate problems down the road.

 

•Examine the driver’s operation of their vehicle over the course of time.

 

•Talk out any concerns with the doctor, gauging what info needs to be provided on any of the older relative’s medical conditions that may impact their driving.

 

•Look into alternatives for assisting an aging relative in the transition to new driving limits.

This may include recruiting relatives to help out with driving-related tasks.

 

•Offer support to the relative through an adjustment period that can often be difficult.

Potential signs of driving safety issues outlined in the guide include everything from the relatively minor – a dip in confidence while behind the wheel, trouble turning to look over the shoulder while backing up, signaling mistakes or inappropriate parking – to more serious – close calls on the road, missing stop signs and red lights, mixing up the brake and gas pedals, or stopping in the middle of traffic without a clear reason, among other among other indicators.

 

The guide advises that family members of older drivers monitor and take notes on their relative’s driving over a period of time as well as keep an eye out for a pattern of danger signs and a rise in the instances of potential problems.

 

 

Source - Price County Review

 

For more information about older driving safety, visit www.aota.org/Conference-Events/Older-Driver-Safety-Awareness-Week.aspx or www.thehartford.com/sites/thehartford/files/we-need-to-talk-2012.pdf