We\u2019re all getting older and the joy and freedom of driving is something none of us wants to ever think about giving up. Like they say\u2026age is relative. You\u2019re only as old as you feel. Well, it\u2019s actually more involved than that. It\u2019s related to whether or not you\u2019re safe to drive a car, or if you pose a hazard to yourself and others every time you turn on the ignition.<\/p>\n
Car insurance<\/a> companies are fully aware of this dilemma and monitor it carefully. Now, no one really wants to get old or give up something they enjoy doing, especially driving, just because of our age. Unfortunately, the reality is\u2026we\u2019re all going to get there whether we like it or not. And, along with it comes the probability of parking or selling our beloved wheels and the keys being taken away from us. A sad day, indeed, for elderly drivers.<\/p>\n It would be grossly unfair to say that a person who is old shouldn\u2019t drive. We have to take several things into consideration. The first being, a person\u2019s overall driving record. An elderly driver who has a history without tickets or at-fault traffic accidents is considered a lower risk than a driver whose record is filled with violations and minor fender benders. In the latter case, the signs may already be there and a closer watch of that person\u2019s behavior behind the wheel may be in order. Abilities don\u2019t normally decrease overnight \u2014 it\u2019s a natural progression and a tell-tale indicator that we\u2019re slowly becoming less functional as we get older. And, there is no rule that gives us the right to drive for the rest of our lives if we can\u2019t do it safely.<\/p>\n That said, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety<\/a>, drivers 70 or older account for less than 1 percent of traffic deaths, generally because they travel fewer miles than their younger counterparts who lead the pack in both accidents and highway deaths. Still, when a 100 year-old man backed his car onto a busy Los Angeles sidewalk in August 2012, hitting 11 people and severely injuring four children, it re-ignited the debate of older drivers and the safety issues they pose to themselves and others.<\/p>\n We often hear and see it on the news – an elderly person drives through the neighborhood dry cleaner\u2019s front window, having mistaken the gas pedal for the brake. Or forgetting the car was in reverse, gunning it, and ramming the car behind them. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to do a self-evaluation if you have personal concerns about yourself or if you suspect that a loved one may soon need to stop driving. Here are some warning signs:<\/p>\n 1. Changing lanes abruptly, hard braking and\/or accelerating.
\n2. Constant \u201cnear misses\u201d with other cars.
\n3. Uneven speed – driving too slow or too fast.
\n4. Following too closely.
\n5. Missing or trouble reading road signs. Not noticing traffic lights.
\n6. Getting flustered – not remembering where they are or where they\u2019re going.
\n7. Easy to anger – reacting to other driver\u2019s actions uncharacteristically.
\n8. Unable to focus on driving, conditions, or other drivers around them.
\n9. Mistaking the gas pedal for the brake pedal on occasion.
\n10. Limited flexibility. Unable to look over shoulder, abnormally slow reaction time.<\/p>\n