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Many adults make appropriate adjustments
for changing capabilities and maintain
safe driving habits well into their 80s.
However, driving skills inevitably
deteriorate with age. You may eventually
need to stop driving.
If you wonder whether that time
is approaching, reflect on recent
driving experiences,
making every effort to be honest about
your abilities and possible limitations. Use the
Recent
Driving Experiences Checklist as a guide.
What You Can Do
With a family member’s help, seek a
professional evaluation of your driving
skills. If possible, look for a safe
driving course offered by an adult education
program, local rehabilitation center or
the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
If a driving test is scheduled with a
public testing center such as the Department of
Motor Vehicles (DMV), you should prepare
for the consequences that could occur if
you fail the test. Your license could be
revoked immediately, so you will need to have
alternate transportation plans in place.
Driving Well
Driving well requires the complex coordination
of many physical and mental skills.
It requires experience, ongoing training,
good judgement and the ability to respond
quickly and decisively to changing conditions.
When you understand the changes that
accompany aging and take steps to address
these changes, you can maintain your
ability to drive safely — and enjoy the
independence and freedom it provides.
| For More Information
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AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety
607 14th Street NW, Suite 201
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 638-5944
www.seniordrivers.org/home
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National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
West Building
Washington, DC 20590
(888) 327-4236
www.nhtsa.gov
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Insurance Institute For
Highway Safety
1005 N. Glebe Road, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 247-1500
www.iihs.org
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U.S. Administration On Aging
One Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20201
(800) 677-1116
www.aoa.gov
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