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AgePage

National Institute on Aging

Older Drivers

At age 78, Sheila thinks she’s a good driver, 

but, this year, she’s had a minor accident and 

several near misses. She’s noticed a few new 

dents on her car and doesn’t know how they 

got there. Sheila wonders how she can stay 

safe behind the wheel.

Have you been worried about your 

driving? Have your family or friends 

expressed concern? Changes in your 

health may affect your driving skills over 

time. Don’t risk hurting yourself or others. 

Talk with your doctor about any concerns 

you have about your health and driving.

Stiff Joints and Muscles

As you age, your joints may get stiff, 

and your muscles may weaken. Arthritis, 

which is common among older adults, 

might affect your ability to drive. These 

changes can make it harder to turn your 

head to look back, turn the steering 

wheel quickly, or brake safely.

Safe driving tips:

■ See your doctor if pain, stiffness, or 

arthritis seem to get in the way of your 

driving.

■ If possible, drive a car with automatic 

transmission, power steering, power 

brakes, and large mirrors.

■ Be physically active or exercise to 

keep and even improve your strength 

and flexibility.

■ Think about getting hand controls 

for both the gas and brake pedals if you 

have leg problems.

Trouble Seeing

Your eyesight can change as you get 

older. It might be harder to see people, 

things, and movement outside your direct 

line of sight. It may take longer to read 

street or traffic signs or even recognize 

familiar places. At night, you may have 

trouble seeing things clearly. Glare from 

oncoming headlights or street lights can 

be a problem. Depending on the time of 

the day, the sun might be blinding.

Eye diseases, such as glaucoma, 

cataracts, and macular degeneration, as 

well as some medicines, can also cause 

vision problems.

Safe driving tips:

■ If you are 65 or older, see your eye 

doctor every year. Ask if there are ways 

to improve your eyesight.
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■ If you need glasses or contact lenses to 

see far away while driving, make sure your 

prescription is up-to-date and correct. 

Always wear them when you are driving.

■ Cut back on or stop driving at night 

if you have trouble seeing in the dark. 

Try to avoid driving during sunrise and 

sunset, when the sun can be directly in 

your line of vision.

Trouble Hearing

As you get older, your hearing can 

change, making it harder to notice horns, 

sirens, or even noises coming from your 

own car. Hearing loss can be a problem 

because these sounds warn you when you 

may need to pull over or get out of the way.

Safe driving tips:

■ Have your hearing checked at least 

every 3 years after age 50.

■ Discuss concerns you have about 

hearing with your doctor. There may be 

things that can help.

■ Try to keep the inside of the car as 

quiet as possible while driving.

Slower Reaction Time and 

Reflexes

As you get older, your reflexes might 

get slower, and you might not react as 

quickly as you could in the past. You might 

find that you have a shorter attention span, 

making it harder to do two things at once. 

Stiff joints or weak muscles also can make it 

harder to move quickly. Loss of feeling or 

tingling in your fingers and feet can make 

it difficult to steer or use the foot pedals. 

Parkinson’s disease or limitations following 

a stroke can make it no longer safe to drive.

Safe driving tips:

■ Leave more space between you and 

the car in front of you.

■ Start braking early when you need 

to stop.

■ Avoid heavy traffic areas or rush-hour 

driving when you can.

■ If you must drive on a fast-moving 

highway, drive in the right-hand lane. 

Traffic moves more slowly there, giving you 

more time to make safe driving decisions.

Medications Can Affect Driving

Do you take any medicines that make 

you feel drowsy, lightheaded, or less 

alert than usual? Do medicines you take 

have a warning about driving? Many 

medications have side effects that can 

make driving unsafe. Pay attention to 

how these drugs may affect your driving.

Safe driving tips:

■ Read medicine labels carefully. Look 

for any warnings.

■ Make a list of all of your medicines, 

and talk with your doctor or pharmacist 

about how they can affect your driving.
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■ Don’t drive if you feel lightheaded 

or drowsy.

Dementia and Driving

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease 

or other types of dementia, some people 

are able to keep driving. But, as memory 

and decision-making skills get worse, they 

need to stop.

People with dementia often do not know 

they are having driving problems. Family 

and friends need to monitor the person’s 

driving ability and take action as soon as 

they observe a potential problem, such 

as forgetting how to find familiar places 

like the grocery store or even their home. 

Work with the doctor to let the person 

know it’s no longer safe to keep driving.

For more information, visit www.nia.nih.gov/

health/driving-safety-and-alzheimers-disease.

Be a Safe Driver

Maybe you already know that driving 

at night, on the highway, or in bad weather 

is a problem for you. Some older drivers 

also have problems when yielding the right 

of way, turning (especially making left 

turns), changing lanes, passing, and using 

expressway ramps.

Safe driving tips:

■ Have your driving skills checked by a 

driving rehabilitation specialist, occupational 

therapist, or other trained professional.

■ Take a defensive driving course. Some

car insurance companies may lower your

bill when you pass this type of class. 

Organizations like AARP, American 

Automobile Association (AAA), or your 

car insurance company can help you find 

a class near you. See For More Information 

About Older Drivers for contact information.

■ When in doubt, don’t go out. Bad 

weather like rain, ice, or snow can make it 

hard for anyone to drive. Try to wait until 

the weather is better, or use buses, taxis, 

or other transportation services.

■ Avoid areas where driving can be a 

problem. For example, choose a route 

that avoids highways or other highspeed roadways. Or, find a way to go 

that requires few or no left turns.

■ Ask your doctor if any of your health 

problems or medications might make 

it unsafe for you to drive. Together, 

you can make a plan to help you keep 

driving and decide when it is no longer 

safe to drive.

Do You Have Concerns About 

an Older Driver?

Are you worried about an older 

family member or friend driving? 

Sometimes, it can be hard for an older 

person to realize that he or she is no 

longer a safe driver. You might want to 

observe the person’s driving skills.
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If it’s not possible to observe the older 

person driving, look out for these signs:

■ Multiple vehicle crashes, near misses, 

and/or new dents in the car

■ Two or more traffic tickets or warnings 

within the last 2 years; increases in car 

insurance premiums because of driving issues

■ Comments from neighbors or friends 

about driving

■ Anxiety about driving at night

■ Health issues that might affect driving 

ability, including problems with vision, 

hearing, and/or movement

■ Complaints about the speed, sudden 

lane changes, or actions of other drivers

■ Recommendations from a doctor to 

modify driving habits or quit driving entirely

Having “The Talk” About Driving 

Talking with an older person about his or her driving is often difficult. Here are some things 

that might help when having the talk.

■ Be prepared. Learn about local services to help someone who can no longer drive. Identify 

the person’s transportation needs.

■ Avoid confrontation. Use “I” messages rather than “You” messages. For example, say, “I am 

concerned about your safety when you are driving,” rather than, “You’re no longer a safe driver.”

■ Stick to the issue. Discuss the driver’s skills, not his or her age.

■ Focus on safety and maintaining independence. Be clear that the goal is for the older 

driver to continue the activities he or she currently enjoys while staying safe. Offer to help 

the person stay independent. For example, you might say, “I’ll help you figure out how to 

get where you want to go if driving isn’t possible.”

■ Be positive and supportive. Recognize the importance of a driver’s license to the older 

person. Understand that he or she may become defensive, angry, hurt, or withdrawn. You might 

say, “I understand that this may be upsetting” or “We’ll work together to find a solution.”

Is It Time to Give Up Driving?

We all age differently. For this reason, 

there is no way to set one age when 

everyone should stop driving. So, how 

do you know if you should stop? To help 

decide, ask yourself:

£ Do other drivers often honk at me?

£ Have I had some accidents, even if 

they were only “fender benders”?

£ Do I get lost, even on roads I know?

£ Do cars or people walking seem to 

appear out of nowhere?

£ Do I get distracted while driving?

£ Have family, friends, or my doctor 

said they’re worried about my driving?
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£ Am I driving less these days because I’m 

not as sure about my driving as I used to be?

£ Do I have trouble staying in my lane?

£ Do I have trouble moving my foot 

between the gas and the brake pedals, 

or do I sometimes confuse the two?

£ Have I been pulled over by a police 

officer about my driving?

If you answered “yes” to any of these 

questions, it may be time to talk with 

your doctor about driving or have a 

driving assessment.

How Will You Get Around?

Are you worried you won’t be able to 

do the things you want and need to do if 

you stop driving? Many people have this 

concern, but there may be more ways to 

get around than you think. For example, 

some areas provide free or low-cost bus 

or taxi services for older people. Some 

communities offer a carpool service or 

scheduled trips to the grocery store, mall, 

or doctor’s office. Religious and civic 

groups sometimes have volunteers who 

will drive you where you want to go.

Your local Area Agency on Aging can 

help you find services in your area. Call 

1-800-677-1116, or go to https://eldercare.

acl.gov to find your nearest Area Agency 

on Aging.

You can also think about using a car 

or ride-sharing service. Sound pricey? 

Don’t forget—it costs a lot to own a car. 

If you don’t have to make car payments 

or pay for insurance, maintenance, gas, 

oil, or other car expenses, then you 

may be able to afford to take taxis or 

other transportation. You can also buy 

gas for friends or family members who 

give you rides.

More Safe Driving Tips

Before you leave home:

■ Plan to drive on streets you know.

■ Only drive to places that are easy to get 

to and close to home.

■ Avoid risky spots like ramps and left turns.

■ Add extra time for travel if you must 

drive when conditions are poor.

■ Limit how much you drive at night.

■ Don’t drive when you are stressed or tired.

While you are driving:

■ Always wear your seat belt and make sure 

your passengers wear their seat belts, too.

■ Wear your glasses and/or hearing aid, if 

you use them.

■ Stay off your cell phone.

■ Avoid distractions such as eating, listening 

to the radio, or chatting.

■ Use your window defrosters to keep both 

the front and back windows clear.
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For More Information About 

Older Drivers

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

1-202-638-5944

info@aaafoundation.org

www.seniordriving.aaa.com

www.aaafoundation.org

AARP

1-888-687-2277 (toll-free)

1-877-434-7598 (TTY/toll-free)

member@aarp.org

www.aarp.org/auto/driver-safety

Eldercare Locator

1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)

https://eldercare.acl.gov

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration

1-888-327-4236 (toll-free)

1-800-424-9153 (TTY/toll-free)

nhtsa.webmaster@dot.gov

www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/older-drivers

National Library of Medicine: 

MedlinePlus

www.medlineplus.gov/motorvehiclesafety.html

For more information on health and 

aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging 

Information Center

1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)

1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)

niaic@nia.nih.gov

www.nia.nih.gov

Visit www.nia.nih.gov/health to find more 

health and aging information from 

NIA and subscribe to email alerts. Visit 

https://order.nia.nih.gov to order free print 

publications.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health®

December 2018