Often seniors will start avoiding uncomfortable situations, perhaps driving only during the day or steering clear of busy highways. "It's an issue of confidence," says Dennis McCarthy, co-director of the University of Florida's National Older Driver Research and Training Center, in Gainesville, Fla.
If you worry about having to give up your keys, you may not need to despair yet. There are steps you can take to objectively assess your competence behind the wheel and make improvements. Some experts also suggest that drivers should not wait until each expedition becomes an occasion for anxiety. "As early as age 55, drivers should start monitoring their skills, like they get cholesterol screenings or high-blood pressure screenings," says Dannielle Sherrets, manager of traffic safety research and analysis for AAA.
An early assessment might also help you keep your license down the road. A growing number of states are enacting restrictions on older drivers, mostly when they hit their sixties or seventies. Some states have shortened the renewal period for seniors, while a few mandate a written or road test for relicensing.
For drivers who want to conduct a self-assessment, several tools can help pinpoint trouble areas and suggest ways to improve. AAA has created a CD-ROM interactive test called Roadwise Review (available through your local AAA club for a small fee). The test will ask you questions about such things as leg strength and memory. AAA offers resources and tips at www.seniordrivers.org, including a brochure called Drivers 55 Plus: Check Your Own Performance.
If you think your skills need a tune-up, both AAA and AARP offer refresher classes designed for older drivers. You don't have to be a member to sign up for either one, but members get a discount on the class fee. And AARP's class can be taken in the classroom or online. The courses explain how aging can affect one's driving and suggest adjustments. Taking a class may also earn you a discount on your auto insurance.
Those who feel the need to go the extra mile can hire a driving rehab specialist to conduct an evaluation. Specialists use either simulators or on-the-road testing to assess such things as reaction time and decision-making skills. These evaluations are more expensive than a refresher course, often costing up to several hundred dollars compared with $60.
You can find a local specialist through the Web site of the American Occupational Therapy Association (www.aota.org/olderdriver). Also check the Web site of the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (www.driver-ed.org).
To determine whether you and your car work well together, try the CarFit program. The staff will look at how easily you can reach the pedals and see over the steering wheel, for example, and will recommend adjustments. Check with AARP or AAA for the closest site.
While most seniors slowly cut back on their driving, some will continue long past their capabilities, either because they're beginning to suffer from dementia or they're afraid of losing their independence. Relatives who worry that this may be the case can conduct their own assessment. Ride along with your spouse or parent several times to gauge how well he or she makes left-hand turns and deals with traffic. Determine whether the driver seems to be getting confused or lost. "A big indication is little bumps and scrapes on the car," says McCarthy.
Approaching a relative to discuss his or her deteriorating driving skills can be hard, but Elinor Ginzler, AARP's Director for Livable Communities, says older drivers want to hear from family and friends. "They don't want a police officer to tell them," she says.
