In our society, staying active often means driving. As people age, certain actions required for safe driving can often become more difficult, such as turning your head to view oncoming traffic, or braking quickly and safely. Here are some tips which can help older drivers maintain their safety edge while behind the wheel.
Keep active
The more active an older person is, or any person for that matter, the better their flexibility and strength. Staying flexible and strong means you can more easily turn the steering wheel, look behind or over your shoulder, or other crucial movements needed for driving and parking.
Have your vision and hearing checked
Poor hearing can make driving dangerous. It is important that the driver be able to hear emergency vehicles approaching, or something as large and dangerous as a train. Problems with eyesight, such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration can reduce vision quality and make it harder to see at night. Check-ups can help catch something before it is beyond repair.
Only drive when road conditions are in your favor
If you understand that driving under adverse conditions can be dangerous for anyone, and even more so for a person with some physical limitations, it makes sense to limit driving to daytime hours and when the weather is good. Sometimes public transportation is a sensible alternative, or just postpone the trip until good weather prevails.
