8 Signs Seniors should Stop Driving - MalaysiaCaregiving Support
8 Signs Seniors should Stop Driving
Should seniors be driving on the roads? Here are signs to help you determine if your senior loved ones are safe drivers at their age.
For many senior citizens, retaining their independence comes in many forms, be it the ability to do the things they enjoy (such as gardening or regular physical activity) or their desire to drive themselves around on their own. In the case of the latter, ageing can make it more difficult for an elderly person to be able to drive on their own without difficulty. As a senior’s reflexes begin to slow and vision deteriorates, it can make it that much riskier for them to drive unaided. Not only is it dangerous for them as a driver, but it also puts other motorists and pedestrians at risk.
While there are no specific statistics that indicate elderly drivers significantly contribute to road accidents in the country, the changes they go through as part of the ageing process can make it harder for them to drive around as they normally do. That’s not to say that they’re unsafe drivers just because they’re older; some elderly drivers may realise that it’s getting harder to drive carefully. At the same time, they still want to retain their independence by being able to drive unsupervised.
We naturally worry when our elderly loved ones start to go through these difficulties that make it harder for them to drive. In some cases, despite our best efforts, our loved ones may stubbornly refuse to give up the keys. It becomes important to keep a close eye on your loved one’s driving abilities and to look out for warning signs that tell you that it’s time to give up the goose and hand over their keys to you for the sake of their wellbeing.
Driving Around in Malaysia
For elderly persons, there aren’t any restrictions on how long they can drive. There are usually no medical tests that they need to go through when renewing their driving licence; they only need to pick a validity period between one and five years, depending on which one is the best option for them. Other countries may have systems in place: for example, Japan requires those aged 75 and above to take a cognitive test before they can renew their licence.
A suggestion was previously made to institute regulatory changes in Malaysia that would require senior citizens “to undergo some form of screening before getting their driving licence renewed,” but this has not taken any hold following objections raised by various organisations. As such, elderly persons can continue to drive on their own for as long as they are physically able to.
Risks of Driving for Elderly Persons
Elderly persons can go through significant changes as they age, many of which can alter how well they can drive. It isn’t so much their age as it is their ability to drive that’s of primary concern. For example, a 60 year old person needs “10 times as much light” as a younger 19 year old person to be able to see clearly. This makes it more difficult for an elderly person to drive at night than in the day.
As such, it’s important to be able to identify the early warning signs in your elderly loved ones to determine if they can still drive or otherwise. The likelihood that they may be involved in a motor accident doesn’t necessarily increase, but the changes to their mind and body are ultimately preventing them from being able to drive as well as they used to.
The effects of ageing affect us all in different ways, so what you go through may not be the same for someone else. Some people may find their health starts to decline at around age 50 or so, while others may only experience it at an older age.
Poor Vision
Having good vision is a paramount component when it comes to driving. You’ll need to be able to see traffic as it moves around you, be able to see and read road signs, or be aware of sudden changes that occur in front of you. Any impairments in one’s vision can potentially cause trouble when driving: your loved one might not be aware that the car ahead of them may be stopping, or didn’t notice the pedestrian attempting to rush across to get to the other side.
It might also be hard for your loved one to stay focused on the road. It might take them longer than normal to change their focus, or notice familiar landmarks that you normally pass by. It might be more pronounced at night: your loved one might have a harder time spotting other cars or obstacles that might be in the way.
Preventable accidents can inevitably happen when your loved one’s vision prevents them from taking the necessary actions needed to protect themselves and other passengers.
Hearing Issues
Hearing is also important when it comes to driving, as you’ll need to be aware of other vehicles on the road. Audio cues help you safely navigate the roads, enabling you to tell if there’s a vehicle attempting to pass or overtake you on the road. As we age, our hearing also changes: it might be harder for your loved one to hear the sirens of an ambulance, the honk of a car trying to pass them, or even if their car might be having a mechanical issue.
Hearing loss puts your loved one at an even greater disadvantage as they won’t be able to protect themselves from something they can’t clearly hear. Since accidents can still happen even if you can’t see beyond your field of vision, a lack of auditory awareness can put everyone on board at significant risk of an accident.
Delayed Reactions
Aging may cause sensory issues in your limbs, which can affect how fast your loved one can react when something occurs. It could lead to a loss of sensation or strength when handling the steering wheel, which in turn, can make it difficult to accurately navigate the car through traffic where precision may be needed. This can cause over- or under-steering when taking corners, or even slow acceleration as the foot isn’t pressing down sufficiently on the accelerator.
More concerning is that it may also cause your loved one to react slower to when an accident is about to occur. They might not be able to react in time before a collision occurs, turning the steering wheel only after they realize something is wrong. This ultimately contributes to the overall risk of elderly persons getting hurt while driving.
Plenty of reasons can contribute to delayed reaction times, including stiff muscles and joints, as well as declining cognitive functions.
Cognitive Issues
Driving is a complex task that involves various cognitive aspects to properly operate a vehicle and to drive it safely. Impaired cognitive function can ultimately affect how well your loved one is able to drive a vehicle; they may find themselves suddenly forgetting how to start the car, or even knowing where they are as they drive around your hometown.
Impaired cognition can really upend your loved one’s ability to confidently drive their car. They may easily lose focus, or find it difficult to concentrate and operate the car safely. They may forget what certain signs mean, how certain components function, or be unaware of how they’ve caused multiple dents and scratches on the car when driving.
As it is, getting lost on roads that your loved one has navigated for umpteen years is already a big red flag that you should take note of. It could be an early warning sign for dementia, which can cause further cognitive issues later in life if not treated promptly. In fact, sudden mood swings can also put your loved ones at risk, putting their life and that of others at higher risk.
Physical Weakness
As we get older, we find ourselves feeling a lot less physically fit than before. When driving, your elderly loved one might have a harder time trying to handle the steering wheel or press down on the pedals with sufficient force. This could be a sign that their physical health is starting to deteriorate and may possibly indicate the onset of frailty syndrome.
If your loved one isn’t very physically active, they may be at higher risk of frailty, which increases their risk of adverse health outcomes due to a fall or a road accident. In fact, falls in elderly persons are associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes owing to poor coordination of their cognition, as well as their visual and motor systems.
Medical Conditions
Various medical conditions can lead to risky outcomes for older drivers, owing to how the condition can affect them. If your loved one is a diabetic, for example, fluctuations in blood sugar levels can affect their cognitive abilities, their attention span, or even their vision while driving.
Medical conditions impact your loved ones differently, whether due to it being an ongoing issue, or even during or after the recovery period. For example, stroke survivors may have slower reaction times, muscle weakness, impaired vision, and reduced coordination. All of these can contribute to your loved one’s ability to drive safely.
If your loved one may have any of the following conditions, or are in the process of recovery, it’s paramount that you advise them to stop driving until they get better, or to give it up entirely.
- Heart attack/disease
- Arthritis
- Seizure
- Glaucoma
- Sleeping disorders
- Autoimmune disorders
Side Effects of Medications/Treatments
Taking certain medications or undergoing specific treatments can also affect your loved one’s ability to drive. Some medications may cause them to feel drowsy or cause other temporary physical or cognitive impairments. Because of this, doctors usually advise against driving when starting a new round of medications to prevent side effects from affecting their health.
Take antihistamines as an example. These medicines are used to treat allergies, but can cause side effects such as drowsiness, which could affect your loved one’s ability to think clearly. It’s advisable that you refrain your loved ones from driving if they are taking certain medications so as to keep them safe and off the roads.
Close Calls
In some cases, you might not notice the warning signs until a close call occurs. This can be due to any number of factors, including an underlying medical condition which you and your loved one may not be aware of. Concerningly, a close call is generally considered the most severe sign that your loved one might not be able to drive any longer.
A close call usually means narrowly avoiding a road accident, or preventing it from becoming a serious one. It may or may not involve you, your loved one, and other motorists or pedestrians getting injured in the process.
Safe Driving Tips for Seniors
Your loved one might not immediately recognise that they are no longer capable of driving as well as they used to. Maybe you’ll need to talk things through with them to make them see that this is indeed the case; in some cases, they might not immediately listen to your advice. It’s understandable, given that driving imparts a sense of independence in older persons: being able to drive makes them feel as though they’re still able to go wherever they want to.
If your loved one still insists on driving, consider the following safe driving tips to keep them safe at all times:
Get a Medical Assessment
Have you and your loved one speak to a doctor about their current condition and whether they’re still fit to drive. If need be, you can think about having their eyes and hearing tested on a regular basis (for example, once a year) to make sure they’re still able to drive well without supervision. Cognitive screenings may also be needed to identify signs of dementia or other similar conditions. All these are important to maintaining their wellbeing, whether by treating their conditions or through other means.
If your loved one is taking medications, make sure you check with your doctor if there may be possible side effects from taking said medications. Refrain your loved one from driving, if needed, and make sure they don’t drive while they’re feeling tired or are emotionally upset.
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Wear a Seat Belt
It might seem obvious, but your loved one may forget to do so before they start driving. Try to ensure that they do this before they start driving. You can make sure that they do it frequently enough that it becomes second nature. A seat belt goes a long way to keeping your loved one safe; even if an accident were to occur, the seat belt will keep them safe and secure than if they didn’t have it on. In fact, according to some studies, having the seat belt on reduces your loved one’s risk of fatal injury by as much as 45 percent!
Make sure you teach your loved one on the correct method of putting on their seat belt, too. Improper seat belt use can prove to be dangerous if left unchecked.
Drive in Ideal Conditions
Driving in ideal conditions may be a good idea for your loved ones. If they have vision issues at night, they should only drive around in the morning or afternoon, or when there’s sufficient light to let them see clearly. Avoid driving on busy highways, as it can be a very stressful or dangerous situation if your loved one is having some difficulty driving. On that note, avoid driving during inclement weather; even rainy days can be risky due to slippery road conditions caused by rainfall.
You should keep your loved one company as a backup driver in case they’re feeling tired or unwell. If this isn’t possible, try to have them take public transportation or use e-hailing services as alternatives.
Plan Routes and Timings
Being able to plan drives ahead of time can be beneficial, too. For example, if you know your loved one should avoid driving on highways, what alternate routes are there? Do they know how to use any of these routes? What’s the best time to take certain routes, based on traffic conditions? Knowing when and where to drive can be very beneficial in the long run, and familiarising themselves with these alternate routes will make it easier for them to keep driving.
Driving Refresher Courses
There are some formal and informal refresher courses available if you think your loved one might need it. It may be helpful to restore your loved one’s confidence in their driving abilities and let them pick up on (or remind them about) useful safety tips for driving. Granted, you’ll need to pay for these sessions, but if it can help your loved one drive safely, it might be worth the time and effort.
Alternatively, these courses might provide information about signs that your loved one should not be driving anymore in their best interests.
Car Safety Features
Many new cars usually feature numerous driver assistance techs integrated, such as automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitors, antilock brakes, rearview cameras, and more. These help to make driving a lot safer for your loved ones, picking up on potentially unsafe situations and warning your loved one or automatically making adjustments to prevent it from happening.
There’s also on-board navigation systems that can help with loved ones navigating their way through the city/town. You can also add a global positioning system (GPS) app such as Google Maps to your loved one’s smartphone that can do the same thing, if their car doesn’t have an on-board navigation tool.
Limit Distractions
Distractions can come in many different forms, from music playing on the radio to other passengers talking during the drive. It’s best to limit these distractions so that your loved one can focus on driving. This also includes limiting smartphone use while driving; in the case of GPS apps, if your loved one has difficulty staying focused while receiving navigation instructions, you may want to reconsider the use of said apps (despite the benefits they provide).
Make a point that your loved one shouldn’t try to multitask if they know they can’t do it properly. Even if it’s adjusting the mirrors, have your loved one do it before they start driving.
Prepare for Driving Retirement
If it becomes apparent that your loved one is no longer able to drive as well as they could before, it might be time to talk to them about driving retirement. In fact, before the effects of ageing influences their ability to drive safely, your loved ones should be preparing to transition to step away from driving and let someone else do it for them. Granted, if they’ve been driving all this time, it won’t be easy to convince them.
Take time to discuss it at length with your loved one, but be sure to be tactful with your approach. Convince them that it’s time to retire from driving due to their health and offer alternatives: if you stay with them, you could drive them around to wherever they need to go. Otherwise, show them how they can use e-hailing services or get around with public transportation. If they may be hesitant about either suggestion, find ways to help them familiarize themselves with these options.
Let Your Loved One Take a Back Seat
Do you need someone to help you get your loved one from place to place? Consider getting the help of ourpart-time caregiversto assist your loved one. They can accompany them for medical appointments, get them around where needed, and provide companionship and assistance with activities of daily living. Our highly trained penjaga will keep your loved one safe and sound every step of the way.
Our services ensure you get the peace of mind you need when you’re away from home, free from worry about how your loved one is doing.
References
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