When teenagers start driving there are always a stressed parent around for a while. A good couple of years down the line that teenager becomes the stressed one, when his or her aging parents refuse to stop driving around.
Elderly people might feel they will loose their independence if they can’t drive their own cars anymore. All older people aren’t the same and some of them can comfortably continue driving well into their seventies and even beyond that. People who are healthy, off sound mind and with good vision and hearing (with or without aids) should not be prevented from driving if they are not dangerous to themselves or other road users.
On the other hand, when you suspect they are not as safe as they should be behind the wheel, you will need to intervene.
There are things that can be done that will allow them to still drive under certain circumstances which will make it less traumatic than to completely give up driving. Most elderly people realize it themselves and make the necessary changes.
- Convince them not to drive long distances anymore. It might be fine to drive around the neighborhood and visit the shop, the doctor or attend an activity or event at a community centre or library. All these places are usually relatively close to home and require only a short drive.
- They should avoid peak traffic times. In most cases, there is no reason for older to people to be on the road in peak traffic. They normally can visit the shop or make the doctor’s appointment during times when the rest of neighborhood is at work or school. Older people can find heavy traffic stressful, which can lead to unnecessary accidents.
- Convince them not to drive at night. Night vision can become a problem with age and if it is not absolutely necessary, night driving should rather be avoided.
- Older people’s reactions become slower and during bad weather it can become dangerous. As older people can make their trips when it suits them, there is not really a reason for them to try and drive in bad weather.
On the other hand when the driving parent is really becoming a danger on the road you will have no choice but to force him or her in which ever way you can. Hopefully the parent will see your side and voluntarily agree to stop driving.
Unfortunately there is a good chance that this won’t happen. If you or our parent can afford a driver it might be easier to convince him or her to make use of a driver, which will still allow them their independence.
