1. Diminished Eyesight or Hearing Loss

It's natural for your eyesight and hearing to diminish with age, but severe changes could make it more challenging to drive safely. Low vision could cause you to miss your turn, run a stop sign or not see pedestrians ahead. Specific eye conditions might cause more issues. For example, cataracts, which are common in older adults, create increased glare and halos around lights, which could be a problem when driving at night. Glaucoma causes blind spots in your peripheral vision, while macular degeneration affects your central vision.

Hearing might not seem as important for driving, but all your senses help you notice what's happening around you. Severe hearing loss could cause you to miss a honking horn or sirens from first responders. Pay attention to how your diminished senses affect your driving to decide if it's still safe to stay behind the wheel.

2. Mobility Issues

Changes in your mobility could increase the difficulty of driving. Grip strength is necessary to keep a good hold on the steering wheel and maneuver the gear shifter. You also need to be able to move your foot quickly between the brake and gas pedals as you respond to changing traffic situations. Assess how well you can reach and control all parts of the vehicle.

3. Reduced Reaction Time

Your reaction time and reflexes may change as you get older. This is often caused by changes in your brain and motor skills. Age might also affect your judgment, which could cause you to hesitate when you have to make a decision while driving. Being able to react quickly to changing situations on the road is essential to avoid accidents.

4. Confusion About How to Operate the Vehicle

Cognitive impairment can interfere with your daily tasks, including driving. Forgetting how to operate the vehicle puts you in a potentially dangerous situation. For example, if you get confused about which pedal is the gas and which is the brake, you could stop abruptly when you don't mean to or drive into an object if you press the gas instead of the brake.

Confusion might also happen in regard to traffic signals and signs. You might hesitate when you come to a stoplight or forget when it's your turn to go at a four-way stop. Traffic circles and parking lots might also cause confusion. Even a short moment of forgetting what to do could cause an accident.

A related issue is being confused about where you are and getting lost easily, especially in familiar neighborhoods. This could result in you ending up in a dangerous location, or you might make driving mistakes such as going the wrong direction on a road.

5. An Increasing Number of Close Calls

Everyone has a close call now and then, whether it's getting a little too close to the curb or almost running a stop sign. An increasing number of close calls, such as almost causing an accident or nearly hitting someone else, could be an early sign that it's time to stop driving.

6. Accidents or Traffic Violations

Eventually, those close calls could turn into actual incidents. One minor accident might be something you can overcome, but having multiple accidents, even minor ones, could be a sign it's time to give up your license. A related sign is receiving traffic violations due to unsafe driving. In some states, receiving multiple moving violations could result in your license being taken away.

7. Prescription Medications or Medical Conditions That Affect Reactions or Judgment

Your personal medical situation could impact your ability to operate a vehicle safely. Some medical conditions could cause emergency situations while driving. For example, changes in your blood pressure could cause dizziness, fainting, blurred vision and confusion. Some medications might also affect your reaction time or judgment. This includes sleeping medication, muscle relaxants, some antidepressants and other drugs. If your doctor prescribes a new medication, discuss how it might affect your ability to drive.

Maintaining Independence Without a License

No longer having a license requires you to utilize other resources to stay active and get where you need to go. Here are some options to stay independent without driving yourself:

• Get help from friends and family members with rides to appointments.
• Use senior transportation services that offer free or low-cost rides.
• Carpool with your friends or neighbors.
• Ride public transportation.
• Reach out to churches and nonprofits that offer rides.
• Use delivery services for groceries, medications and other items.

Moving to The Gardens at Barry Road helps you stay independent in many ways. Our scheduled transportation services get you to your appointments as well as outings and shopping with fellow residents. With our assisted living services, you receive support from a 24-7 staff to help with personal care needs, medication management and pharmacy services. You stay in control of how you spend your time while getting a little extra help when you need it.

‍