Tips For Senior Driver

How Aging Affects Driving Safety:

• Reduced vision — especially at night.
• Difficulty judging distance and speed.
• Limited movement and range of motion.
• Slower reaction time.
• Difficulty focusing attention for long periods of time.
• Easily distracted.
• More time needed to understand what we see and hear.
• More use of prescription and/or over-the-counter drugs that may impair your driving ability.

The Driving Safety Cycle

PLAN: Before you begin driving, plan your route, make sure your car is properly prepared and make alternate transportation arrangements when appropriate.

SCAN: Pay close attention to what is happening all around you. Look and listen for situations that may require you to react quickly.

THINK: Consider how safety will be affected by what you have seen or heard.

DECIDE: Decide how to handle the situation so you feel in control.

ACT: Apply good judgement to eliminate unsafe acts and unsafe conditions.

Deciding When to Stop Driving: Warning Signs

• Increasing number of near collisions.
• Direct involvement in minor collisions.
• Difficulty seeing pedestrians, objects and other vehicles.
• Difficulty co-ordinating hand and foot movements.
• Increased nervousness when behind the wheel.
  

Transportation alternatives

• Public transportation.
• Friends and family members who drive.
• Keep your vehicle and have others drive for you e.g. volunteer driver programs.
• Scheduled or customer call request van/bus pick-up.
• Taxi voucher system.
• Community access bus or van pools.
  

Personal Reminders

• What age-related factors affect your driving?
• What changes will you make to keep driving safely?
• How will these changes benefit you?