{"id":5690,"date":"2015-07-21T07:00:09","date_gmt":"2015-07-21T12:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=5690"},"modified":"2016-09-15T12:36:46","modified_gmt":"2016-09-15T17:36:46","slug":"senior-driving-7-signs-your-parent-shouldnt-be-behind-the-wheel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/07\/senior-driving-7-signs-your-parent-shouldnt-be-behind-the-wheel\/","title":{"rendered":"Senior Driving: 7 Signs Your Parent Shouldn’t Be Behind The Wheel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Senior Driving: 7 Signs Your Parent Shouldn’t Be Behind The Wheel\"Senior<\/h1>\n

In towns and cities that don\u2019t have comprehensive public transportation systems<\/a><\/strong>, having a car comes to feel like a pre-requisite for independence. The ability to get from one place to another at the moment you want is a part of life most of us take for granted.<\/p>\n

For some seniors though, the day eventually comes when that privilege starts to put them \u2013 and other drivers on the road \u2013 at risk. On the whole, statistics show that seniors are safer drivers than many other age groups, but they\u2019re more vulnerable to health concerns that make driving more difficult, like failing eyesight, arthritis, or dementia. They also face a higher risk of death and injury from car accidents.<\/p>\n

As a result, family members and caregivers should pay attention to any red flags that may suggest issues with their loved one\u2019s driving ability. Do be careful not to overreact, as taking a senior\u2019s car away will change their life and cause them to feel less independent and in control of their situation. You should only make that decision when the alternative diminishes your loved one\u2019s safety. But when you\u2019re confident that day has come, don\u2019t hesitate to talk to them about it.<\/p>\n

Things to Be Aware Of<\/h2>\n

None of these items in and of themselves necessarily mean its time to stop your loved one from driving, but they\u2019re factors that should make you more attentive and aware that the day of reckoning may be coming sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

1. You see them make obvious mistakes.<\/h3>\n

When you\u2019re in the car with your loved one, if you notice them making small driving errors more often, like almost running a stop sign, turning on the wrong street, or forgetting to use turn signals, that likely means they\u2019re coming closer to the day when they shouldn\u2019t be driving anymore.<\/p>\n

If they start to graduate to bigger driving mistakes, like veering into other lanes or going the wrong way down a one way street, then it may be time.<\/p>\n

2. They\u2019re getting lost more than usual.<\/h3>\n

If your usually punctual loved one is now regularly late because they\u2019re having trouble finding places they\u2019ve driven to before, it\u2019s a bad sign. Some people spend their whole lives with a bad sense of direction, so a tendency to get lost isn\u2019t enough to take away the car alone, but it may point to larger issues.<\/p>\n

3. Their eyesight is failing.<\/h3>\n

You can\u2019t drive if you can\u2019t see. If their eyesight is failing at a rate that contacts and glasses aren\u2019t doing the trick<\/a><\/strong>, you need to be checking regularly to see if they still fall within the legal range.<\/p>\n

4. They\u2019re diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/h3>\n

Driving requires focus. If your mind can\u2019t maintain the many facts you need to know to be a safe driver, you shouldn\u2019t be on the road. Seniors with dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s inevitably reach a point where this is a real risk. The initial diagnosis doesn\u2019t necessarily mean it\u2019s time to take the keys away, but it\u2019s a warning sign that the day will come when you\u2019ll need to.<\/p>\n

When It\u2019s Time to Talk About Taking the Keys Away<\/h2>\n

There are early warning signs and then there are the signs that let you know you can\u2019t wait any longer.<\/p>\n

1. They\u2019re having accidents (even minor).<\/h3>\n

Most motorists have an accident at some point, but having multiple accidents, even if minor, points to a larger problem. If your loved one is hitting mailboxes, coming home with new scratches on the car, or worse, actually causing life-threatening accidents, it\u2019s time to take the car away.<\/p>\n

2. They don\u2019t pass a driving test.<\/h3>\n

If you have your suspicions about their fitness and you convince them to submit to a professional evaluation, you\u2019ll have your answer.<\/p>\n

3. A doctor confirms your fears.<\/h3>\n

If your loved one\u2019s doctor expresses concern about their fitness to drive, or outright tells you it\u2019s time for them to be off the roads, take the keys away.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t an easy decision to make, so don\u2019t beat yourself up if it\u2019s hard for you. Not being able to drive is an inconvenience, but not being able to get up and walk away after a car accident is much worse. Your loved one may argue and have a hard time accepting the new restriction, but if the time is right, they\u2019ll be better off for it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Senior Driving: 7 Signs Your Parent Shouldn’t Be Behind The Wheel In towns and cities that don\u2019t have comprehensive public transportation systems, having a car comes to feel like a pre-requisite for independence. The ability to get from one place to another at the moment you want is a part of life most of us take for granted. For some […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2199,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[200,29],"tags":[30,309,291],"class_list":{"0":"post-5690","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-families-caregivers","7":"category-caregiving","8":"tag-caregiving-2","9":"tag-older-driver-safety-awareness-week","10":"tag-senior-safety"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSenior Driving: 7 Signs Your Parent Shouldn't Be Behind The Wheel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Family members and caregivers should look out for these 7 red flags that indicate your senior loved one is no longer fit to drive.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Senior Driving: 7 Signs Your Parent Shouldn't Be Behind The Wheel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Family members and caregivers should look out for these 7 red flags that indicate your senior loved one is no longer fit to drive.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SeniorAdvisor.com Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-07-21T12:00:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2016-09-15T17:36:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kristen Hicks\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kristen Hicks\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/07\/senior-driving-7-signs-your-parent-shouldnt-be-behind-the-wheel\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/07\/senior-driving-7-signs-your-parent-shouldnt-be-behind-the-wheel\/\",\"name\":\"Senior Driving: 7 Signs Your Parent Shouldn't Be Behind The Wheel\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/10.40.44.169\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2015-07-21T12:00:09+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2016-09-15T17:36:46+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/10.40.44.169\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/155f7689ce014c42c1db768ba81e1ce6\"},\"description\":\"Family members and caregivers should look out for these 7 red flags that indicate your senior loved one is no longer fit to drive.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/07\/senior-driving-7-signs-your-parent-shouldnt-be-behind-the-wheel\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/07\/senior-driving-7-signs-your-parent-shouldnt-be-behind-the-wheel\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2015\/07\/senior-driving-7-signs-your-parent-shouldnt-be-behind-the-wheel\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\/\/10.40.44.169\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Senior Driving: 7 Signs Your Parent Shouldn’t Be Behind The Wheel\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/10.40.44.169\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/10.40.44.169\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"SeniorAdvisor.com Blog\",\"description\":\"Empowering Families in their Search for Care\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\/\/10.40.44.169\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/10.40.44.169\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/155f7689ce014c42c1db768ba81e1ce6\",\"name\":\"Kristen Hicks\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/10.40.44.169\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/457ef8a7379a7f4f39d7810b58ef0a0f?s=96&d=mm&r=pg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/457ef8a7379a7f4f39d7810b58ef0a0f?s=96&d=mm&r=pg\",\"caption\":\"Kristen Hicks\"},\"description\":\"Kristen Hicks is an Austin-based copywriter and lifelong student with an ongoing curiousity to learn and explore new things. 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