Does my age affect my ability to drive?

Not necessarily. There are no set rules as to when a person may need to give up their driver license. What is important is your ability to continue to drive safely. Two of the most important abilities for safe driving are

• to see hazards clearly, and
• to respond quickly to changes in highway and traffic conditions

These abilities may or may not decline as a person gets older.

How can I continue to drive safely for as long as possible?

Test yourself. Test your abilities on a regular basis so you can make any needed changes to continue as a safe driver.

Look for warning signs. Be alert for any signs of a decrease in driver abilities and skills. Be concerned if you:

• have a number of minor accidents or "near misses"
• cannot concentrate or you have thoughts that wander
• cannot easily read standard road signs
• become lost or confused on roads you know
• notice other drivers often sound their car horns at you
• hear concern from family, friends, or police about your driving

Seek solutions. If you notice signs of decreased driver abilities, determine if medical help or professional instruction can improve your driving abilities and skills. You can enroll in a course for drivers aged 55 and older. The courses cover a number of topics of special interest to older drivers. The topics include health and driver performance, the effects of medications, and how a driver can manage vision and hearing problems. Contact your car insurance company to determine if the company offers discounts for a driver who completes an older driver class.

Make the right decision. The decision to continue or to stop driving is an important decision. Remember, you are responsible not only for your own safety. You must consider the safety of your passengers, other drivers, pedestrians, and motorcycle and bicycle riders. When you consider whether or not to stop driving, you will want to learn about other methods of transportation.

If you cannot continue to drive safely or you decide to stop driving you can exchange your valid driver license for a non-driver photo ID card (NDID). Your NDID provides the same secure proof of identification as a photo driver license.

Do changes related to age affect driver ability?

Physical and mental abilities can decrease as a person gets older, but there are large differences in when changes occur and how big the changes are. The age of a person alone cannot determine driving ability, but be aware that

• problems can be easier to notice during stressful or difficult driving conditions (for example, problems may be noticed when you must merge into traffic or change lanes)
• several studies have shown that physical and mental problems among older drivers are linked to an increased risk of involvement in a crash

Many older drivers also take medications (even over-the-counter), which can impair driving ability. Medicines can affect the abilities of a driver at any age, but drugs can be a special problem for older drivers who more often must take medicines.

Can driver education help older drivers?

The answer is difficult to determine. Studies must separate the effects of the course from the effects that result from the abilities and attitudes of drivers who take the courses. Even without exact study results, it is reasonable to conclude that continued driver education has value. In New York State, the safety benefits of courses are supplemented by a 10% discount on automobile insurance premiums.

Several organizations have safety courses for older drivers. National programs include

• the Driver Safety Program of the American Association of Retired Persons
• Safe Driving for Mature Operators from the American Automobile Association
• Coaching the Mature Driver from the National Safety Council

How can new vehicle technology improve safety for older drivers?

New vehicle technologies that can help protect drivers and passengers in crashes include

• seat belt force limiters that control the force of seat belts during a crash
• advanced airbags that reduce possible injuries from when an airbag activates
• improved head restraint systems that help to protect against whiplash and other neck injuries
• electronic stability control (ESC). These systems increase vehicle stability and decrease the risk of deaths in crashes that involve only one vehicle
• adjustable pedals and seat adjusters, larger and brighter displays and controls, and other features in some vehicles that can be helpful to older drivers

Other systems that can help prevent crashes include

• a cruise control system that can help maintain your vehicle a set distance from the vehicle ahead
• systems that warn the driver if the car begins to move toward another lane

These new technologies may help to prevent crashes, but remember that technology is only a tool, not a guarantee.

Driving Evaluations

A behind-the-wheel evaluation is one of the best methods for an older driver to learn about how well they are doing. A driving evaluation in your own car is one of the most helpful methods to determine your driving abilities.

A driving evaluation does not have to result in the removal of driving privileges. Instead, an older driver can often make changes to continue to drive and drive safely.

To schedule a driving evaluation, contact a hospital, a clinic, or a commercial driving school that has a driver rehabilitation specialist. There is information below about driving assessments by the different specialists.

Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (DRS)

These specialists normally work in the healthcare field. You can often find a specialist for driving evaluations through an occupational therapy (OT) department in a clinic or hospital. Be aware that not all clinics and hospital OT departments have these specialists. You may have to travel to find a facility with a specialist.

An evaluation conducted by a driver rehabilitation specialist includes both a physical evaluation and a driving evaluation. The physical evaluation includes checks of your vision, reaction times, and "cognitive ability" (the ability to think).

Following the physical evaluation, a driving evaluation takes place. This evaluation usually lasts one hour. The specialist then writes a report.

A DRS

• helps patients to drive again as they recover from an incident like a stroke or a traffic crash (a doctor, family member, or a court may refer a driver to a DRS)
• may use a specially-equipped vehicle to help evaluate and teach a driver who has a disability
• may discuss special equipment or training for the driver
• may discuss with the driver and family the need to stop driving if the evaluation suggests that it is safer to stop (the driver and family need to discuss these issues with the DRS before the evaluation)

Health insurance may pay the cost of an evaluation by a DRS if the driver was referred by a doctor or a health plan.

Professional Driving Instructor

Some commercial driving schools also conduct driving assessments. There are some driving schools with professional instructors who are specialists in the evaluation of older drivers or drivers with disabilities. Carefully evaluate the services available from the driving school.

Like a driver rehabilitation specialist, the driving school instructor can supply a written report. The report includes details about your driving skills and how you can improve your skills.

Find a Driving School

The Driver Rehabilitation Program

A driver rehabilitation program (DRP) evaluates the driving skills of persons who may have conditions that can affect driving.

These programs normally include three parts

• an evaluation of the physical and mental abilities required for safe driving
• a behind-the-wheel driving evaluation
• if indicated by the evaluation, a driver training program

Rehabilitation Specialists Conduct the Evaluations

Occupational therapists are normally rehabilitation specialists who conduct driver rehabilitation evaluations. Driving is part of occupational therapy because it is an activity that is important to independence and to the quality of your life. Occupational therapists work with persons who may have physical or mental challenges and help them remain as independent as possible.

An occupational therapist assesses more than the skills, abilities, and condition of a driver. The therapist is trained to assess the overall lifestyle and needs of the person. The evaluation of the person and their life includes an assessment of the psychological and social well-being of the person.

The primary purpose of occupational therapy is to help the person remain independent. However, an evaluation may determine that a person needs to stop driving. In these cases, the occupational therapist can help the person and their family to find transportation other than driving.

The Physical and Mental Evaluation

The evaluation of the physical and mental condition of the driver can include computerized testing and sometimes a driving simulator. The following information and skills are evaluated:

• Driving history - assesses
  • the frequency, length, and reason for trips by the driver and the locations of trips (city or rural)
  • the types of roadways used (highways, busy intersections, etc)
  • the times of driving (for example driving at night or during rush hours)
  • whether the driver uses another person to help navigate and whether there is another resident who can drive
  • the knowledge of the driver about the area and area roadways
  • routine vehicle maintenance history
• Medicines - the assessment includes information about prescription and non-prescription medicines
• Communication abilities - the assessment includes the ability of the driver to read road signs, interpret symbols, and speak
• Physical abilities - the assessments include vision, hearing, the ability to freely move the body and limbs, strength, coordination, and reaction times

The Behind-the-Wheel Evaluation?

A behind-the-wheel driving evaluation is normally done in a specially-equipped vehicle with another set of brakes for the occupational therapist. The vehicle can also have added equipment and devices needed by the driver. For example, the vehicle can have hand controls, devices to assist steering, built-up pedals, or other accessories.

During the behind-the-wheel evaluation, the occupational therapist looks for the abilities of the driver to

• get into the car
• adjust the equipment (seats, mirrors, and other adjustable equipment)
• start the car
• control the vehicle while driving

The evaluation may be done on an off-road course or on local roads. What is evaluated includes:

• the distances the driver keeps between their vehicle and other vehicles and objects
• the position, speed, and path of the vehicle on the road
• if the driver can recognize hazards
• how the driver communicates (for example, does the driver correctly understand road signs and communicate with other drivers through signals?)

After the Evaluation

If conducted in a medical facility, the occupational therapist enters the results in the medical records of the driver. The results are also reported to the doctor if a doctor referred the driver for evaluation. With the permission of the driver, the results and recommendations can be discussed with the family of the driver.

The evaluation results are recommendations only. The therapist is not required to report the results of the driver evaluation to the DMV. The therapist does not report the results to the DMV without the written consent of the driver. The driver must inform the DMV of medical conditions as required by law. The driver is asked to report a medical condition at the time of a driver license renewal.

A driver can request the DMV to conduct a re-evaluation of their skills. The DMV can also do a driver re-evaluation if the DMV receives information about the physical or mental condition of a driver and conduct based on

• an accident report
• the report of a doctor or a police officer
• a report from a member of the family of the driver or other citizen

The American Medical Association recommends that doctors use their best judgment to determine when to report an impaired driver to the state DMV. New York State laws do not require doctors to report impaired drivers.

Paying for the Evaluation

Health insurance will normally pay the cost of a driver rehabilitation evaluation by an occupational therapist if the person

• has a medical diagnosis
• has a referral from a doctor

Check with your health insurance carrier about what your policy includes.

Find a Driver Rehabilitation Program

Contact your doctor and local medical facilities where most driver rehabilitation programs are located. The Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists has a webpage to search for certified driver rehabilitation specialists by state.

The sources of information for this webpage included the AARP and the National Older Driver Research and Training Center.

The AARP makes available both classroom and online courses to help drivers improve their driving skills. The courses teach safe driving methods that can improve the ability of an older motorist to drive safely.

To learn more about older driver safety visit the AARP safe driving page. You can also call the AARP, toll-free, at 1-888-227-7669.

Driver safety is important, and so is your independence.

Source: National Older Driver & Research Training Center