When are you to old to drive?

I was shopping just the other day. An old woman was in front of me at the checkout line. As the line moved up, the old woman did not. She was not paying attention to the moving line. I was ready to tap her on the arm and let her know the line had moved quite far in front of her when she put her head up and noticed. She walked slow and was using a cane. While I was leaving the store, I was looking for this old woman. She was by herself in the store and I began to wonder if she drove herself or if someone was waiting for her.

Elderly driving limitations is the most talked about, most relevant and hardest one to discuss. When do you know when to take the keys away, when do you know to have that discussion with them?

Insurance companies have indicated that the very young and the very old are statistically the populations more at risk in travel, a greater likelihood of being involved in an accident and a greater likelihood of injuries when accidents occur.

Older drivers frequently recognize their limitations, and drive accordingly. Many elderly drivers have enough self-awareness to stay off the road at night, when eyesight can be a concern, and during rush hours, when the roads are more congested and difficult to navigate.

One way to help decide if your loved one should not be driving is to observe their driving habits. If he or she misses stop signs or red lights, or steers erratically, those can be signs. Look for unexplained dents and scraped on the car. In general, look for signs such as forgetfulness and confusion, or a loss of coordination, or stiffness when he or she tries to move around, or periods of heightened agitation. This can all mean it's time for that person to get around some other way.

If you think it is time for your loved one to give up driving, calm, loving persuasion and careful evaluation of the facts are considered the way to go. Reassure them that, even without a car, you'll make sure he or she won't be homebound, and will get the necessary transportation to do the things they need to do on a weekly basis. If this does not work, then accompany them to their doctor. Ask the doctor to help make that decision.

If your loved one is still driving, I found a sign online that you can print out and tape to the rear window. It's suppose to discourage unsafe driving and reduce road accidents. The sign alerts other drivers that there is an elderly person driving this vehicle. I'm not sure if this sign would help or not.

I know elderly people still feel independant when they drive. I'm not saying there should be an age restriction. It depends on the health and alertness of each individual. When you have an elderly person that moves like a turle, how well do you think they drive?