If You're an Older Driver and Aren’t Talking Safety, You Should Be

By CarePatrol of Fox Cities

According to AAA, nearly 83 percent of older drivers report never speaking to a family member or a physician about their safe driving ability. In addition to expression a hard time initiating the conversation, 15 percent will only do so after a traffic accident has occurred.

If you’re still driving, here are some things you can do to keep yourself safe on the road!

1. Get your eyes and ears examined yearly

To drive, you need good vision and hearing. Even if you think nothing has changed from the previous year, schedule appointments with the optometrist and the audiologist annually.

2. Manage your prescriptions

Taking your medications appropriately is important to maintaining and managing chronic health conditions. If you take them incorrectly, you can increase the risk of side effects that could impair your ability to drive. Also, if you’re on more than one medication, and more than one talks about dizziness as a complication, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.

3. Be active

Being fit and staying active are important to your overall health, however, when it comes to driving, it can help keep your motor-functions in tip top shape making it easier for you to react to situations and drive defensively.

4. Update your driving skills

True, you’ve been driving for many years, but there are many local organizations that offer driving skills assessments for seniors age 65 and older. You will most likely pass with flying colors, but it will give you an indication, hopefully before an accident occurs, that you might need driving assistance.

For more information on the study by AAA, visit https://newsroom.aaa.com/2018/08/older-drivers-talking-driving-safety/