UNDERSTANDING HOW AGING EFFECTS DRIVING

As people age it is normal for their driving abilities to change and by reducing the risk factors and incorporating safe driving practices the elderly can continue to drive safely long into their senior years. But as occupational therapists we do have to pay attention to any warning signs where age is interfering with driving safety and then make appropriate adjustments to compensate for these loses.

Older adults are more likely to receive traffic citations and get into accidents than younger drivers.

The causes of this are that as we age, factors such as decreased vision, impaired hearing, or slowed motor reflexes may become a problem. You may have a chronic condition that gradually worsens with time, or you may have to adjust to a sudden change, such as a stroke.

Saisan et al, describes how aging results in a reduction of strength, coordination, and flexibility, which can have a major impact on your ability to safely control a car.

For example:

·      Pain or stiffness in the neck can make it harder to look over the shoulder to change lanes or look left and right at intersections to check for other traffic or pedestrians.

·      Leg pain can make it difficult to move the foot from the gas to the brake pedal.

·      Diminished arm strength can make it hard to turn the steering wheel quickly and effectively.

·      A slower reaction time impacts the ability to spot vehicles emerging from side streets and driveways, or to realize that the vehicle ahead has slowed or stopped.

·      Lose of ability to effectively divide attention between multiple activities such as keeping track of the many road signs, signals, and markings, as well as all the other traffic and pedestrians, can also become more difficult.

As people age it is critical for them to realize that their driving ability can change. It is very important as occupational therapists to help them recognize these changes and the safety implications for themselves and others.

References

Saisan, J., White, M., Robinson, L. (2013). Age and Driving. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/elder/senior_citizen_driving.htm