Keeping Older Drivers Safe on the Road

December 2-6, 2013 is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. Throughout the week the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) will bring attention to different aspects of older driver safety.  In support of promoting older driver safety, Newton-Wellesley Hospital occupational therapists are sharing their Top Ten Tips for keeping older drivers safe on the road:

1.       Schedule an Eye Exam: About 90 percent of the sensory information necessary to drive is received through our eyes. With yearly vision exams, changes in vision can be detected and corrected and age-related eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration can be detected and addressed.

2.       Exercise: Regular exercise and stretching help older adults maintain the strength needed to control the car and the flexibility to turn our heads to check for traffic in our blind spots, and the endurance to stay alert while driving.

3.       Check Your Medications: On average, older adults take six prescriptions in addition to over the counter medications. Many medicines (alone or in combination) may affect your driving even when you feel fine.  When you start taking a new medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist about side effects. If your medication makes you dizzy or drowsy, talk to your doctor to find out ways to take your medicine so it doesn’t affect your driving.

4.       Sleep Well: Sleep and rest impact your attention when driving and lack of sleep can lead to mistakes on the road. A sleep-deprived person is just as likely to cause a collision as an intoxicated driver.

5.       Adjust Your Driving Habits: If you don’t see well in the dark, do not drive at night or during storms. If you have trouble making left turns at an intersection, try planning a route with more right turns, and minimize or eliminate left turns. If you can, avoid driving in bad weather such as rain, sleet or snow. Plan your trips ahead of time. Decide what time to leave and which roads to take. Try to avoid heavy traffic, poor weather, and high-speed areas. Never drive when you feel angry or tired. If you start to feel tired, stop your car somewhere safe. Take a break until you feel more alert. Never eat, drink, or use a cell phone while driving.

6.       Don’t Drink and Drive: The strategy of waiting a few hours to drive after consuming alcohol might have worked in our younger days, but is not effective for older adults. Even after a few hours of not drinking, older adults may still have levels of alcohol in their bodies that can impair their driving. If you must drive, then don’t drink at all. If you do drink, make sure you have a designated driver.

7.       Stay Mentally Fit: Driving a car requires making decisions quickly, switching attention quickly among multiple activities on the road (e.g. paying attention to pedestrians entering crosswalks, bicyclists riding on the side of the road, and passing cars), dividing our attention among multiple tasks (e.g. steering, shifting gears, controlling speed, checking mirrors, and looking ahead to gauge traffic) and remembering important information, such as where we’re going and how to get there. Keep mentally fit by learning new skills, taking classes, attending discussion groups, playing games that require memory or strategy, and so on. While in the car reduce distractions by organizing what you need for the trip beforehand (e.g. maps, sunglasses, toll money), turning the radio down or off, not conversing with passengers, and driving on familiar roads.

 8.       Take a Mature Driver Refresher Course: For older drivers it’s been many years since they first learned to drive. Since then, there have been many changes in the roads, traffic and vehicles that make driving today more challenging than it used to be. Both AARP and AAA both have older driver refresher courses that can help you brush up your driving skills and learn how to manage and accommodate common age-related issues. The classes are inexpensive and your insurance company may offer a discount on insurance for completing the course.

To locate a class contact your local AAA (401-868-2000 x2120 http://www.southernnewengland.aaa.com/community/driver-improvement-program) or AARP (aarp.org/drive, 888-227-7669).

9.       Check How Well You Fit in Your Car: Adjust the driver’s seat so that your chest is 10 inches or more from the steering wheel. Adjust your sitting posture by moving the steering wheel, adjusting your seat, or sitting on a cushion to get your eyes at least 3 inches higher than the steering wheel. Wear your seatbelt – and wear it correctly. It should go over your shoulder and across your lap. Always adjust your side-view mirrors to minimize the “blind-spot” in the rear of the vehicle. Consider participating in a free community CarFit event to help adjust your vehicle for a better fit, making it easier and safer to drive. Visit www.car-fit.org to find an event near you.

10.   Get a Driving Evaluation: Free do-it-yourself assessments are available on the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety website (www.aaafoundation.org). If additional help is needed in determining your or your loved one’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle consider a professional assessment such as the NWH Drive Safe Evaluation (www.nwh.org/rehab).

Senior Occupational Therapist
Newton-Wellesley Hospital