Adjustments you can make to stay safe

The loss of the driving privilege is a very significant concern for any driver. The driver license is often both a symbol of independence and seen as a requirement for a normal life.

Rather than stop driving completely and lose independence, older drivers can restrict driving to adjust to changes in their driving skills.

Older drivers can

  • drive in daylight hours and not at dawn, dusk or at night when it is more difficult for a driver to see at these hours
  • avoid "rush hours" and other peak traffic hours
  • use roads that you know well and avoid roads you do not know well
  • take shorter trips
  • use highways that have lower speed limits
  • do not try to eat or drink while you drive (eating while driving is the fourth leading cause of crashes and near-crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
  • do not use a cell phone or any other hand-held device while driving