Last month Health Affairs published an article about drivers who are elderly and infirm. The author is a physician who has grappled with the question of whether she should intervene when she judges a patient to be mentally or physically unable to drive but the patient is unwilling to lose the independence and convenience afforded by driving.
This is a problem not only for physicians, but also for family members. What should we do when we feel our elderly loved ones are endangering themselves and others whenever they get behind the wheel but they refuse to discuss the possibility of relinquishing the driver’s seat? What should we do when they have car accidents but the police simply issue a ticket or warning and take no further action? The risk of permanently damaging the relationship with our elderly relatives, the knowledge that a confrontation about driving is sure to be heated and painful, and perhaps a sense of powerlessness to actually enforce a driving prohibition likely deter many of us from pursuing the matter once we meet initial resistance.
According to the Health Affairs article, by 2020 there will be approximately 40 million licensed drivers over the age of 65. Only a handful of states require physicians to report potentially unsafe drivers to the Department of Motor Vehicles; 14 states mandate that older drivers renew their licenses more often than younger individuals; and only 17 states have added testing for older drivers. Other information can be found at a useful website provided by the American Medical Association. As our population ages, it would be wise for state legislatures to revisit their driving regulations and consider establishing testing programs for elderly drivers. Any other thoughts or advice about handling this difficult issue would be welcome.
This is such a difficult topic -- thanks for addressing it. Our society has been great about imposing limits on teen driving, but it's difficult to regulate unsafe senior driving because it involves limiting freedom of transportation. But the fact is that some seniors lose their motor skills and mental ability and should probably stop driving. Some states have implemented laws requiring a vision test or some such before license renewal. I'd like to see these laws become more common.
Posted by: Ben Buchwalter | March 21, 2011 at 01:18 PM
Keeping Us Safe has developed a workbook titled:
"Beyond Driving with Dignity; The workbook for the families of older drivers".
This user-friendly workbook was developed to offer concerned families a working roadmap (complete with actual exercises) on how to address the issue of driving safety with an older adult in your family.
The workbook has been designed to offer additional peace of mind to families, help older drivers maintain their independence and dignity, and at the same time help prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries on our nation's roadways.
Please visit our website at www.keepingussafe.org to learn more about the Beyond Driving with Dignity workbook.
Matt Gurwell
Founder & CEO
Keeping Us Safe
877-907-8841
www.keepingussafe.org
email: [email protected]
Posted by: KeepingUsSafe | March 21, 2011 at 08:02 PM