Safety Tips for Older Drivers

Close-up view of a person’s hands gripping the steering wheel of a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, with the dashboard and speedometer visible in the background.

From the moment you get your first license, driving gives you personal freedom and independence. Naturally, most people want to hold onto that freedom as long as they can.

However, changes in physical fitness, vision and reflexes as a person ages may cause safety concerns. Decisions about a person's ability to drive shouldn't be based solely on age, but those who do experience these changes need to make adjustments in how they drive to stay safe or choose another mode of transportation instead.

Self-Assessment and Warning Signs

The first step toward safe driving longevity is self-assessment. It's not always easy to recognize changes in driving ability at first, but you may see external signs: For instance, a friend or family member may express concern about your driving, or you might get pulled over by a police officer and warned about your driving.

You might also notice that you've started getting lost more, even on routes that were once familiar. Other serious signs of a problem including having several near misses or actual crashes in the past three years. And of course, if your doctor advises you to restrict your driving or stop entirely, you should listen to that advice.

Symptoms of Declining Vision

Good vision is necessary for safe driving, but everyone experiences some decline in vision as they age. Watch for these signs of impairment:

You have difficulty reading signs.
You find it harder to see pavement markings, curbs or other vehicles, especially at dawn or dusk or at night.
You experience discomfort from oncoming cars' headlights at night.

Symptoms of Decreased Physical Fitness

Diminished strength, flexibility and coordination can significantly impact the ability to control a car safely. Watch for these physical symptoms:

You have trouble turning your head to look over your shoulder before you change lanes or to check traffic at intersections.
You have trouble with basic motions like turning the steering wheel or moving your foot from the gas pedal to the brake.
You can't raise your arms above the height of your shoulders.
Your knees, ankles or legs hurt when you go up or down stairs.

Symptoms of Decreased Reaction Time

Driving requires you to divide your attention between multiple tasks and be able to react to unexpected situations quickly. Watch for these signs of decreased attention and reaction speed:

You feel overwhelmed by everything you have to keep track of at intersections, like signs, traffic lights, road markings, other vehicles and pedestrians.
You find it more difficult to merge into traffic or to make turns because you can't judge gaps in traffic as well.
You take medications that make you sleepy or experience dizziness, seizures or loss of consciousness.
You often get lost or become confused.
You're slow to notice that the car ahead of you has slowed down or stopped.

Practical Tips for Safe Driving

Making simple modifications to your vehicle, your routines and your driving habits can significantly extend your ability to drive safely.

Enhancing Visibility

Maintain a current prescription for your glasses, and always wear them while driving. If you lose your glasses or break them, replace them immediately with your most recent prescription.
Avoid wearing eyewear that has side pieces that may obstruct your peripheral vision.
Don't wear tinted lenses to try to compensate for glare at night. They reduce light transmission and can make driving hazardous. Similarly, avoid darkening or tinting your car's windows.
Keep your windshield and mirrors clean, and have your headlights checked during routine car inspections to make sure that they're aimed correctly.
Select a car with bigger, easier-to-read dials, and adjust the instrument panel's brightness as needed.
Sit high up enough in your seat that you can at least 10 feet of road in front of your car. This significantly reduces the glare from oncoming headlights at night.
Look at the lower right side of the road to avoid being blinded by headlights when there's oncoming traffic.

Physical Health Maintenance and Adaptations

Ask your doctor for advice about starting a walking program or stretching exercises to improve your strength and flexibility.
See a doctor if you experience pain, swelling or stiffness in your feet, arms, legs or neck. They may prescribe medication or recommend physical therapy to improve your function.
Choose a car with an automatic transmission, power brakes and power steering. If necessary, consult an occupational therapist to get adaptive equipment for your car.
Eliminate your blind spot by re-aiming your side mirror: Lean your head against the window, and then move the mirror outward so you can just barely see the side of your car.

Route and Attention Strategies

Plan your route to stick to roads you're familiar with.
Avoid driving during rush hour, and minimize or avoid driving at dawn, dusk and night.
Maintain a safe distance between your car and the car ahead by using the four-second rule: When the vehicle ahead passes a fixed marker (such as a sign), count "1,001, 1,002, 1,003, 1,004" before you pass the same point.
Scan far down the road continuously to anticipate hazards.
Minimize left turns by choosing intersections with protected green arrow signals or making a series of right turns to go in the same direction.
Limit distractions like eating, adjusting the radio or chatting while you drive. Always use a cellphone hands-free, and use voice activation when possible.

Alternative Transportation

The best way to stay independent in the long term is to plan for other methods of transportation. That way, when it's time to hang up your keys, you'll still be able to get where you want to go.

Options might include:

City buses, trams and subway systems
Taxis and ride-sharing services
Shuttle buses offered by churches, senior centers or retirement communities

Make sure to budget for the cost of using alternative transportation, factoring in the money saved by not owning a car, to get an accurate picture of your expenses.