3 minute read
Drive Your Age
Driving is important to your independence. It is an ability that most want to hold on to as long as possible. Unfortunately for many, aging may threaten driving independence. Your age, though, is not the only basis for deciding whether you can continue to drive safely. Like most older drivers you may be very capable and have many miles of driving experience under your belt. For some though, age may bring changes in our physical fitness, vision, hearing, and reflexes that may challenge our safe driving ability. Evaluating your own fitness to drive is essential to understanding how to self-manage your driving to reduce risks to yourself and others.
As you age, watch for changes in your physical fitness. Discuss with your doctor how any changes may affect your driving. You should understand how medications and/or supplements you are using can interact or have unwanted side-effects threatening driving ability. You should check annually for vision conditions associated with aging. In Delaware County, you can participate in a CarFit to ensure correct adjustment of your driver seat, mirrors, and car instrumentation. Consulting with an occupational therapist at a CarFit may also identify aids to safely buckle seat belts, adjust mirrors, utilize car controls, and get in and out of your vehicle.
Today, distraction is a driver safety buzz word, but distraction has always been a part of driving. The challenges of distraction increase with age-related changes. Those changes may pose a threat to driving safety because your reaction time has slowed. Adjusting your driving behavior may help to counter those changes. For example, do not add activities while driving like talking on the phone, eating, or having a pet in your lap. Plan your route when visiting somewhere unfamiliar. Limit driving in heavy traffic, adverse weather, and during dawn or dusk. Compensate for slower reaction times by leaving more room to stop between you and the car ahead. Choose to make left turns at intersections with protected arrow signals or avoid a left turn completely by making more right turns to get to the same place. Most new vehicles also have driving aides built in to avoid blind spots during lane changes, unintended lane departures, and speed control.
For more information on how to continue to drive safely as you age, contact SAFE Delaware County Coalition Coordinator Jackie Bain at jbain@delawarehealth.org or call 740-203-2083.
