Senior Drivers: Time to Take the Keys?

Statistics and Exceptions
While we all know some seniors in their Eighties and up who are mentally sharp as a whip, and equally sharp drivers. But the statistics are not in their favor. According to NHTSA numbers, the crash rate per mile increases slowly at age 65; then, at 85, it soars to a rate nine times higher than that for all drivers between 25 and 69. The only age with a worse crash rate per mile are 16-year olds.


But, taking keys away from your parents may prove to be as difficult as your parents' efforts to keep the keys away from you when you were 16. If you're lucky, your parent or grandparent will recognize their limitations and impose their own restrictions on driving.


Night vision diminishes with age and many seniors resolve the issue by not driving past sunset. Freeways are dangerous at any age and not that difficult a sacrifice to make once reaction times slow. But, if your particular senior isn't among the self-regulating, you may have to step in with subtle suggestions or step up by offering to drive them to evening events or freeway trips.

Simple Steps to Take
The first step is easy: take a few car trips with your parents to size-up their driving abilities. Ironically, they probably did the same with you in your teens. Look for difficulty negotiating sharp turns and intersections. Does the older driver hesitate over right-of-way decisions, drive too slowly or have poor reaction to lights and traffic signs?


More dangerous signs include surprise at the "sudden" presence of other vehicles or pedestrians in crosswalks, lack of concentration or confusion in common driving situations or a serious case of nerves on the highway. If your senior parent has started racking up moving violations or been found at fault in a crash, those are signs you can't ignore. If these trips indicate diminished driving ability, make sure there's no fixable medical cause. No point in facing a confrontation if it's not needed.