Page 37 - AAA Magazine – AAA Ohio Auto Club – January 2019

Older Adults Avoid Talk of Driving Ability
Nearly 83 percent of older drivers never speak to a family member or physician about their safe driving ability, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Of the small percentage of families that do have the conversation, 15 percent do so after a crash or traffic infraction has occurred – which could be too late.
Today’s seniors are outliving their ability to drive safely by an average of 7-10 years. While these older drivers are notoriously safe drivers, age-related conditions make them more likely to be injured or killed in a crash.
The number of traffic fatalities involving
senior drivers age 65 and older is on the rise in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. Last year, 252 people died in crashes involving a senior driver, up from 184 people in 2013.
“The right time to stop driving varies for everyone,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “This research shows that older drivers can be hesitant to initiate conversations about their driving capabilities, so it is important that families encourage them to talk early and often about their future behind the wheel.”
Research Findings
The report is the latest research released in the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers project. This study found that only
17 percent of older drivers report ever speaking with
This study found that only 17 percent of older drivers report ever speaking with a family member or physician about driving safety.
iStock.com/Tom Wang
a family member or physician about driving safety. The most commonly cited reasons for having the discussion include:
Driving safety concerns (falling asleep while driving, trouble staying in lane): 65 percent
Health issues: 22 percent
Driving infraction or crash: 15 percent Planning for future: 7 percent
Planning for ‘Driving Retirement’
AAA urges seniors to begin planning for “driving retirement,” just as they would plan for retirement from work. Families should start talking about safe driving early and avoid waiting for “red flags” like crashes, scrapes on the car, new medical diagnoses or worsening health conditions. When talking to an
older driver:
Start early and talk often: Be positive, be supportive
and focus on ways to help keep them safe behind the wheel, including other available forms of transportation.
Avoid generalizations: Do not jump to conclusions about an older driver’s skills or abilities.
Speak one-on-one: Keep the discussion between you and the older driver. Inviting the whole family to the conversation can create feelings of alienation or anger.
Focus on the facts: Stick to the information you know, like a medical condition or medication regimen
Continued on page 36
JANUARY 2019 | 35