AGING DRIVERS AGING DRIVERS & The Elephant & The Elephant In The Room In The Room Written by Linda Fech, Michigan Office of Highway Safety
Written by Linda Fech, Michigan Office of Highway Safety
Michigan.gov/AgingDriver Starting around age 55 there is a decrease in how well adult drivers process, remember and judge driving events, such as the distance of oncoming traffic. We may notice losses in our vision, memory, strength, flexibility, and reaction time. Aging doesn’t affect all drivers in the same way. Your health is closely connected to your ability to drive safely. Older drivers and their should discuss theadult drivers Starting around age 55 there is a families decrease in how well matter with their healthcare provider. process, remember and judge driving events, such as the distance
Michigan.gov/AgingDriver
AGING DRIVERS & The Elephant In The Room Written by Linda Fech, Michigan Office of Highway Safety
of oncoming traffic. We may notice losses in our vision, memory, The importance of keeping an aging family member safe without strength, flexibility, and reactionand time. Agingis essential doesn’t to affect all drivers compromising their independence mobility inmaintaining the same away. Yourengaged health life. is closely connected to your ability thriving, The topic of driving and manydrivers concerns and is anfamilies uncomfortable toseniors drivegenerates safely. Older and their shouldtopic discuss the that becomes the elephant in the room when families do engage matter with their healthcare provider.
parents in aging-related conversations. As a result, the subject is Mobility is essential to keeping seniors active and engaged in often delayed until evidence of poor driving behaviors or signs of their communities. The SDSO website was developed around The importance of keeping an aging family member safe without serious cognitive or physical decline begin to appear. compromising their independence and mobility is essential tothree principles:
Michigan.gov/AgingDriver
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maintaining a thriving, engaged The topic driving The good news is that there are manylife. resources agingofdrivers andand 1. To help aging drivers continue to drive as long as safely possible; their families can explore help makeand the aging transition topic seniors generates manytoconcerns is an driver’s uncomfortable aroundinto age 55 there is a decrease 2. To help aging Starting drivers transition a smooth driving retirement;in how well adult drivers from driving to non-driving safe and affirming. that becomes the elephant in the room when families do engage process, remember and judge driving events, such as the distance 3. To educate the community about the support and resources parents in aging-related conversations. As a result, the subject is Mobility is essential toWe keeping seniors active engaged in One of the first steps is to visit the “Safe Drivers, Smart seniors need to maintain theirtraffic. independence and mobility. of oncoming may notice losses in ourand vision, memory, often delayed until evidence of poor driving behaviors or signs of Options” (SDSO) website at www.Michigan.gov/agingdriver theirstrength, communities. The SDSO website was developed around flexibility, and reaction time. Aging doesn’t affect all drivers serious cognitive or physical decline begin to appear. The SDSO website encourages everyone to be proactive and plan three in principles: the same way. Your health is closely connected to your ability The website provides information and resources for older drivers for a future that includes “driving retirement.” With that perspective, to drive drivers and their families should discuss the andgood their families, the elephant in the room safely. will notOlder seem as threatening. The news isincluding: that there are many resources aging drivers and matter with their healthcare provider. 1. To help aging drivers continue to drive as long as safely possible; their cantoexplore to help make the aging • Howfamilies and when start conversations with older drivers;driver’s transition • Washtenaw County ranks among the transition top ten Michigan 2. To help aging drivers into acounties smooth driving retirement; from to non-driving safe andimpact affirming. • Howdriving medications and health problems driving as we age; for the most senior driver fatalities and serious injuries from 2016 to member safe without The importance of keeping an aging family 3. To educate the community about the support and resources • Driving self-assessment tools, videos, and links to driver-refresher courses; 2020, coming incompromising at Number 8. their independence and mobility is essential to One of the first steps is to visit the “Safe Drivers, Smart seniors need to maintain their independence and mobility. • Contacts for local organizations that work with older drivers and maintaining a thriving, engaged life. The topic of driving and Options” (SDSO) website at www.Michigan.gov/agingdriver • Ingham County ranks 10th and Jackson County 13th. their families; and seniors generates many concerns and is an uncomfortable topic *A senior driver a crash involving at leasteveryone one driver age 65 proactive and plan The crash SDSOis website encourages to be that becomes the elephant in the room when families do engage • Resources for transportation options for those who no longer drive. or older. The website provides information and resources for older drivers for a future that includes “driving retirement.” With that perspective, parents ininaging-related As a result, the subject is and their families, including: the elephant the room willconversations. not seem as threatening. often delayed until evidence of poor driving behaviors or signs of • How and when to start conversations with older drivers; serious cognitive or physical decline begin to appear.counties • Washtenaw County ranks among the top ten Michigan • How medications and health problems impact driving as we age; for the most senior driver fatalities and serious injuries from 2016 to good in news is that there are many resources aging drivers and • Driving self-assessment tools, videos, and links to driver-refresher courses; 2020,The coming at Number 8. their families can explore to help make the aging driver’s transition • Contacts for local organizations that work with older drivers and from driving non-driving and affirming. • Ingham County to ranks 10th andsafe Jackson County 13th. their families; and *A senior driver crash is a crash involving at least one driver age 65 • Resources for transportation options for those who no longer drive. or older.One of the first steps is to visit the “Safe Drivers, Smart Options” (SDSO) website at www.Michigan.gov/agingdriver | SIMPLY SENIORS — FALL 2021 The website provides information and resources for older drivers and their families, including:
