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Driving tips for older adults

August 22, 2022 by PEMCO Insurance
Older drivers are among the nation’s safest, with people ages 65-69 having the fewest property damage and collision claims, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. But paradoxically, they’re also among those most likely to be injured or killed in a serious accident, according to the Centers for Disease Control. That’s not because of any particular error they’re making behind the wheel. It’s just that when they do get in an accident, physical changes that accompany aging make them more vulnerable to injury. 

Elderly man driving.Older drivers can help shift the odds in their favor by paying attention to changing health conditions, adjusting driving behaviors and choosing the right vehicle. 

How can older drivers extend their safe driving years?

Ability, not age, determines fitness for driving. However, age does correlate with factors that make driving less safe. These include decreased vision, hearing difficulties, slower reflexes, back or neck pain that limits turning ability, shoulder or hip pain that interferes with steering or braking, difficulty dividing attention among multiple activities and use of sedating medication.

Drivers can extend their safe driving years three ways: 

1.    Stay up to date with routine exams. Talk to your doctor about how age-related changes can affect your driving, particularly if you’re prescribed a new medication or have developed joint or mobility issues. Get your vision and hearing checked annually and keep eyeglasses prescriptions current.

2.    Limit driving in situations you find difficult. If heavy traffic tends to stress you out, schedule appointments so you miss rush hour or add extra time so you can use less-busy surface streets rather than freeways. 

Consider changing routes to avoid intersection-heavy driving. Studies show that intersections are particularly hazardous for people with vision impairments.

Older drivers often find they have greater difficulty seeing the road at night or in rainy conditions (a 60-year-old requires 10 times the light needed to see clearly compared with a 20-year-old). If that sounds like you, these suggestions can help you see the road more clearly, including using your high beams more often and increasing following distance in low-visibility conditions. 

3.    Choose the right car. New cars with safety features like automatic emergency braking and blind spot warnings can save lives among older drivers. IIHS researchers found that even if older drivers as a group drove cars as well-equipped as the newer, larger cars favored by middle-aged people, fatalities would drop 3% for drivers age 70 and over and 5% for drivers 80 and over. 

If a new car isn’t in the budget, features available on many older models also can help compensate for common age-related conditions, including:
 
  • Arthritic hands and fingers. Look for four-door models with thick steering wheels, power mirrors and seats, and keyless entry and ignition. (Steering wheel covers can help plump up a skinny wheel.) Dashboards should have large, button-operated controls.
  • Hip or leg pain, diminished leg strength or limited knee motion. Choose vehicles with six-way adjustable power seats and, for easy entry and exit, seat heights at mid-thigh or slightly higher (vans or SUV cross-overs). For other drivers, low door thresholds (sedans) can be a plus. 
  • Diminished vision or problems with glare. Look for oversize visors with extensions and dashboards with large audio and climate controls with contrasting text. They’re easier to see at a glance and reduce distraction caused by hunting for the right button.
  • Back, neck or shoulder pain. If your range of motion is limited, look for tilt and telescoping steering wheels that can adjust to a comfortable position; large, wide-angle mirrors that can reduce the need to twist around to check blind spots, back-up cameras and heated seats with lumbar support that can soothe your aching back.
  • Short stature. To reduce the impact of an airbag during a collision, consider vehicles with adjustable foot pedals that allow you to sit 12 inches away from the steering wheel. Six-way adjustable seats also can help you gain height over the steering wheel.

How do today’s older drivers compare to past generations?

Today’s seniors live vastly different lives than their parents – healthier, more independent and less likely to define themselves by age. Among people 65 and older, rates of chronic disability have dropped 17% over the past 20 years. Nearly 80% of adults over 50 said they intend to “age in place” rather than move to a retirement community in a recent AARP survey. The economists at Freddie Mac have even cited the stay-at-home phenomenon among contributors to the current housing shortage.

Driving is one key to maintaining an independent lifestyle.

The proportion of people age 70 and older who have driver’s licenses has climbed significantly in a relatively short amount of time, going from 73% in 1997 to 82% in 2020, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Happily, despite the rise, 22% fewer older drivers died in crashes in 2020 compared with 1997, which is consistent with a general decline in traffic fatalities (excluding a pandemic uptick).

Want to learn more? The American Automobile Association has developed a good self-test to help you or someone you love identify possible changes in driving, along with suggestions to address them.

 


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