The Difficult Decision to Stop Driving

Getting behind the wheel of a car can feel as natural as sitting at the kitchen table. For long-time drivers, it is hard to image never doing it again. After a lifetime of driving, never sitting behind the wheel again is unfathomable.  However, if we live long enough, most of us will probably come to a point when the time comes to hang up the car keys and leave the driving to someone else. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, the average American now lives about 10 years beyond their ability to drive safely.

There’s no definitive, clear-cut age when someone should stop driving. People age differently. Many people are able to drive safely well into their “seasoned” years, but others experience changes that can jeopardize their ability to drive safely. And, some of us need to make certain adjustments in order to continue driving safely – such as only driving during daylight hours or only close to home.

Of course, it’s a whole lot easier to tell when someone else should stop driving than it is to realize the time has come in our own lives. The decision to stop driving is never simple or straightforward. It is very common to miss the signs that our driving abilities have diminished, and it is very tempting not to bother looking for the signs.

It is common and perfectly understandable to worry about and dread giving up something that’s so instrumental to our independence. Driving provides freedom. It keeps us mobile. Many older people don’t have access to other transportation options. Many of us do not live close to public transportation and don’t have family members nearby who can easily take us wherever we need or want to go.

Fortunately, there are services in most areas of the United States to help older people who are no longer able to drive. There are free senior shuttle services, low-cost bus and taxi services, volunteer organizations that provide drivers, as well as other resources. Some grocery markets and pharmacies offer delivery services, which can be very helpful. Your local senior center or public library will be able to help you find resources in your neighborhood.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control show that drivers in their later “seasoned” years cause more crash-related deaths than any other age group of drivers except teens. Nobody ever wants to have done something while behind the wheel of a car that results in someone else being injured or worse. That’s why it is crucial that we be vigilant and realistic about our ability to drive as we get older. We must each take responsibility for ourselves and make the difficult decision when it needs to be made.

How do we know when the time has come to hang up the car keys? Well, we have to trust the opinions of our doctors, loved ones, and friends. And we must pay attention to the warning signs, like those listed below, that may indicate it is no longer safe to be behind the wheel.