PRINCE PHILIP WAS STILL DRIVING at age 97, but when he was recently involved in a car crash that sent two women to hospital, he (or his advisors) decided it was time for him to surrender his licence. It’s a decision that we all must face at some time.
It’s a thorny issue for every driver as age takes its toll, reactions slow, eyesight dims and hearing becomes less acute. So when is the appropriate time for you to give up the freedom and independence that holding a driver’s licence brings? Being able to drive is more than a simple means of getting from A to B; it’s the freedom of mobility, a means of accessing health services, employment, education and social networks.
For most older drivers, surrendering the right to drive raises complications and concerns about how to get to a doctor’s appointment, visit family and friends or even do something as basic as the weekly shopping.
The Council of the Aging has developed a senior driving program designed to assist drivers make this difficult decision.
Most of us intend to stay behind the wheel as long as possible and anything that makes this achievable is worthy of consideration.
The Moving Right Along program, according to COTA peer educator Jan Luck, was not set up to frighten people, or to make them feel guilty about driving but to help them understand their rights, as well as their responsibilities on the road.
Ms Luck pointed out that there are a number of trigger points which could lead senior drivers into dangerous situations on the roads. These include loss of confidence behind the wheel, noticing slower reaction times or acknowledging physical impairments.
As Ms Luck explained, “Driving is a big responsibility and a lot of things have changed on the roads, such as the rules and restrictions,” she said. “If people don’t have the same reactions as they used to, they can become a danger to themselves and others.”
However, surrendering your licence is a watershed moment for drivers, and many are unwilling to face the situation or unaware that their skills and abilities have diminished to the point where they really shouldn’t be on the road. For friends or offspring of older drivers the prospect of suggesting it’s time to stop driving can be a touchy subject and one they would rather avoid.
“People who have driven for most of their lives think they can keep doing it forever, but it is the little things that begin to make big problems. With a lot of older drivers, the first things that begin to fail them is their eyesight, reflexes and reaction time and general physical limitations such as stiff fingers or not being able to turn their head as easily.” These little indicators are often noticed by friends and relatives before they become obvious to the drivers themselves.
Jan’s COTA sessions show concerned relatives and friends how they can initiate the touchy conversation.
It’s not just loved ones who should consider attending. Responsible drivers need an independent assessment of their abilities, since most will overestimate their ability and underestimate the degree of their impairment.
The course runs over three stages. Session one is about understanding the rights and responsibilities of being an older driver. It includes some thought-provoking statistics about the increased likelihood of older drivers being injured or killed on the roads compared to younger drivers. Ms Luck does not advise people that it’s time to surrender a licence; instead, the program provides information that will allow a driver to make an informed decision. Presumably, it also provides arguments you can use to argue that you are competent and capable and don’t yet need to give up your right to drive, should a friend or other family member raise the issue.
The second session addresses the concept of giving up a licence and the impact it will have on your life. As you can imagine, losing the freedom and independence of being able to drive yourself has serious implications, but the session looks at the alternatives to driving, including taking public transport and walking.
The third session talks about motorised scooters as a replacement for walking or driving.
State motoring associations also offer advice for aging drivers. The RAA in South Australia, for example, offers CarFit, a free 20 to 25-minute consultation that gives drivers tailored advice on how they can “fit” in their car to maximise safety and comfort. A trained RAA professional and an occupational therapist will go through a checklist with you, looking at things such as mirror placement (even something as simple as adjusting a mirror can make a big difference to your driving ability and comfort) and seat adjustment. They then make suggestions that can often be as obvious as adjusting a headrest or using a steering wheel turning knob.
The RAA also conducts a one-hour safety awareness program called Years Ahead that is designed for older road users. It’s free for organised groups of 20 to 80 people throughout South Australia (motoring organisations in other states offer similar programs). Trained RAA staff visit the groups and present information on safe driving, choosing a safe vehicle, the impact of health and medications on driving and alternative driving options.
As the RAA’s Senior Manager Mobility and Safety, Wendy Bevan, points out, “Older drivers often have the unfair reputation of being more dangerous. In reality, they are more likely to self-regulate their driving habits, have years of experience on the road, and are less likely to take risks such as speeding or drink driving.”
All well and good, but when older drivers are involved in a crash, they have a significantly higher risk of being seriously injured or killed due to greater fragility. And older people, unfortunately, take longer to heal, so their recovery time can be significantly longer.
Consider this: at the age of 70 a driver is nearly three times more likely to die as a result of injury than a driver between 20 and 50. By the age of 80, this rises to five times.
Ageing alone is no reason to stop driving, but we all need to be aware of decreasing ability and increasing levels of impairment, from vision, reaction time, freedom of movement and hearing loss.
Ageing drivers and the law.
As usual, laws relating to aging drivers varies from state, but broadly speaking, South Australia is fairly typical. In SA, drivers over 70 are required to undergo a yearly vision and medical test. Even if your local laws don’t require such tests, taking them is good pre-emptive action. In SA, all drivers are legally required to notify the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, in writing, as soon as they’re diagnosed with a medical condition that can affect their driving. A word of warning here: once notified, the condition stays on your record and can cause problems further down the line. If the condition is temporary, you may wish to consider your options and certainly should discuss it with your doctor, including seeking his advice on whether the condition does, in fact, affect your driving to the point where it needs to be notified.
And that brings us to medical professionals. In most states, health professionals are required to notify the relevant authorities if, in their opinion, you are permanently or temporarily unfit to drive. They do not need your permission to do so. This raises a number of concerning issues: some older drivers are avoiding going to see health professionals out of a fear that it will result in a report and subsequent loss of licence; and in an era of increasing litigation, it is only reasonable to expect that a health professional, when faced with a decision to notify authorities about a driver’s fitness to drive, will take the safer option and make a recommendation against driving (consider the ramifications if a health professional decides not to notify the authorities and the patient is subsequently involved in a crash as a result of a medical condition).
Still in SA, once a driver reaches the age of 85, he or she is required to take a practical driving assessment every year.
Ways to extend your driving life.
• Plan your trip before setting out. It is often possible to find a simpler route, or one with fewer challenges, even if it makes the journey a few minutes longer.
• Keep up your personal fitness regimen. Even light exercise will enhance the muscle strength and flexibility you need to drive safely. Ask your health professional about exercises suitable for you and your current level of fitness.
• Enquire about programs such as the RAA’s CarFit program to ensure you are comfortable in your car and best positioned to drive safely.
• Choose a car with the maximum number of in-built safety features. Safety has come a long way in the past few years, so even an older car, even a comparatively recent one, will be less safe than a new model. You may be aware of airbags and anti-lock brakes, but is your car fitted with autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and the many more safety features currently available, often at a moderate cost, on new models?
• Before surrendering your licence becomes urgent, consider the alternative means of getting around.
• Night time driving is considerably more dangerous for older drivers (lower light levels, glare, reduced visibility) so consider limiting your driving to daytime and, where possible, only drive in familiar areas, on familiar roads and avoid longer trips.
• Keep abreast of the changing road rules and conditions. It may seem unnecessary, but a driving lesson may help to highlight issues you may not be aware of, and mistakes you are making and bad habits you may have adopted in your everyday driving.
• Schedule regular health, hearing and eye checks.
• If you are moving to a new home, think about the services you will need to access and whether you can reach them easily, or by walking or taking public transport.