There are many reasons to take away driver's licenses. They all have to do with physical and mental skills and abilities. They do not have a thing to do with "old age."
A safe driver must have and be able to use whenever needed, a set of often taken for granted, but very "complicated skills and abilities". The most critical abilities that have been shown to be the strongest predictors of crash risk among older drivers are:
1. General mobility (how easily the body is able to move about in the car)
2. Head/neck flexibility (how easily the head and neck can move)
3. High- and low-contrast visual acuity (how good is vision in all sorts of lights, darkness;
can things be distinguished from each other, like the curb from the pavement)
4. Leg strength
5. Working memory (of all the rules of the road, how to use the car, etc.)
6. Visualization of missing information (see a ball, but no child, so your mind thinks a child
might be close by, so the body reacts just in case a child is there)
7. Visual search (scanning ahead and near)
8. Visual information processing speed (how quickly a person can see something, understand the meaning of what was seen, and react and safely respond)
The CAR is the STAR in TRANSPORTATION
The lucky folks in places like Washington, DC, New York and Boston have great transportation systems in place that don't require a car. But in most parts of the USA, the car is the pre-dominant form of transportation. People go to the doctor, the grocery store, church, social events, leisure activities, and work using the car. They vacation, help others out, visit, shop, and sight see using the car.
It concerns me to see so many states interested in curbing the older driver based on age. To take the keys to the car away from an individual can be hugely traumatic and life changing. It can also be hazardous to health. It is demoralizing and to some it is humiliating. Imagine World War II Veterans, Viet Nam and Korea War Veterans; and so many other people who have led productive, independent, energetic and involved lives, suddenly told their driving privileges have been revoked.
This can cause isolation, dependency, poor eating habits, malnutrition, poor personal health care, lack of interest in the outside world and embarrassment. It can lead to depression as well as other forms of ill health, and can increase symptoms of conditions that were formally controlled.
This is a big deal!
Prolong Safe Driving Skills for As Long As Possible
It is unfortunate, that as a nation, we seem to react to the few really horrible cases that involved older drivers (that have been sensationalized in the media) in a punitive way, rather than getting to the real reason why people crash.
People crash because under the circumstance, a driver, all the drivers, some of the drivers, did not or could not do something that needed to be done at the precise moment of the confluence of events. This comes down to function,….not age.
We do need to prevent unsafe drivers from getting behind the wheel. This is easier said than done, because so many do not recognize the many red flags that can indicate an unsafe driver. When we do come to a realization that a parent is driving unsafely, and is unwilling to stop, it is time to take personal responsibility, and get involved. This will save lives and heartache.
We also have an obligation to help our older drivers prolong safe driving skills for as long as possible. (That can be well into the nineties and even 100+)
Proactive Approach to Optimize Driving Skills & Safety
People don't know what they don't know. So it is often really hard to recognize "red flags" if you don't know what they are!
A proactive program approach to optimize driving skills and safety would be educational, positive, and preventive in nature.
Goals should be to optimize driving skills and prolong driving safety. The marketing approach should be focused on boomers and healthy seniors in a positive manner. It should be offered in
community environments such as the following:
- shopping malls
- condominium association meeting places
- senior living communities
- theaters and concert halls
- public meeting places
- restaurants, etc.
PROLONG DRIVING SAFETY : PROGRAM FEATURES
Programs should include the following features:
1. Fitness programs to maintain or enhance the body's abilities
a. flexibility
b. strength
c. balance
d. range of motion
2. Fitness activities to keep the mind sharp
3. Vision screening opportunities
4. Review of highway rules and regulations
5. Assessments of how well the car fits the person (see CARFIT.ORG)
6. Demonstration of assistive devices that can be used to enhance lossed or reduced physical abilities
7. Information about nutrition
8. Information about the effects of medications and alcohol on driving and the older body.
9. Screenings to determine need for customized health program
10. Information about normal age related changes that can occur
Medicare and Insurance Company Support
If I could wave my magic wand, I would immediately make car insurance programs offer a discount or a stipend or reimbursement, to any senior who participates in such a program. Such a program should:
1. Increase awareness of the skills needed to drive
2. Increase personal responsibility (for one's skills and abilities)
3. Increase desire to stay or get fit
4. Enhance quality of life
5. Delay dependency
6. Save loads of money
7. Prevent injuries and accidents
8. Improve the ability of people to recognize their own driving risk factors
9. Prolong safe driving years
For more information, please take a look at the following Internet resources.
Internet Resources: http://www.safeaging.com/newsletter/Feb06newsletter.pdf
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/06jan/04.htmHave a safe and happy day.
Dr. Vanessa M. Dazio
