Independence is important for anyone, especially senior citizens. Being able to perform daily tasks like driving to the store gives senior citizens a sense of freedom and usefulness. However, as people age, we tend to lose some abilities, like quick reflexes. Therefore, it’s important to be safe and understand that we can’t do the same things when we’re older that we did when we were young. Unfortunately, this may mean driving. But, is there a certain age when this happens? When should senior citizens stop driving?
Warning Signs
According to the AARP, there are several warning signs that it’s unsafe for senior citizens to be driving:
- Delayed responses to unexpected situations
- Becoming easily distracted while driving
- Decreased confidence in driving
- Having difficulty moving into or maintaining the correct lane of traffic
- Hitting curbs when making right turns or backing up
- Getting scrapes or dents on car, garage, or mailbox
- Frequent close calls
- Driving too fast or too slow for road conditions
Unfortunately, if you or a loved one exhibits some of these signs, it’s time to reconsider driving. Having said that, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s no more driving. It may call for driving restrictions, such as avoiding night driving or long drives.
Medical Conditions
Also, there are several medical conditions that influence when a senior citizen’s driving needs to be discussed. They are:
- Dementia
- Problems with hearing or vision
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
Additionally, if you or a loved one suffers from a condition that requires drugs that affect driving ability. For instance, these drugs include anti-anxiety drugs, narcotics, and sleeping pills.
So, while there’s no definitive answer across the board to “when should senior citizens stop driving”, these are some reasons. With this in mind, if driving isn’t an option, medical transportation for both emergency and non-emergency situations helps. In fact, Abba Medical Transportation even offers recreational transportation, which provides you the continued freedom to live your life. Contact Abba Medical Transportation today for all your transportation needs throughout Central New Jersey.