Depression, which may limit a person's ability to pay attention and to obtain restful sleep, can also impair driving skills. The gradual onset of dementia can cause memory problems and behavioral difficulties that make safe driving problematic, yet dementia and its effects are usually not recognized by the affected person. Many of the medications taken to treat the various infirmities of age can further diminish driving skills. Although people over 65 represent about 11 percent of the population, they use 25 percent of all prescription drugs, plus a host of nonprescription remedies. Drugs that can interfere with safe driving include sleep aids, antidepressants and antianxiety drugs, painkillers, antihistamines, cough and cold remedies and insulin and other drugs used to treat diabetes.
Alcohol can have an ever worsening effect on driving skills as people age.
With advancing age, tolerance for alcohol declines and the effects of alcohol last longer. St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved. Maybe we'll just take the bus .