It finally got to the point where I didn't want him driving with our kids in the car. We knew we had to do something, but we dreaded both hurting his feelings and reducing his independence. As we age, we experience a number of physical changes that directly affect our ability to drive including a loss of visual acuity and diminished hearing, lessened physical strength and overall slower reaction times. These limitations are gradual, however, and often go unnoticed until the older driver is faced with a difficult driving situation they can no longer handle. For example, the older driver is less able to judge speed of oncoming traffic and also less able to respond quickly in an emergency.
Many older drivers have difficulty accelerating to the speed of traffic on expressways.
Backing up without checking all potential blind spots is another common problem associated with the older driver. Often older drivers can learn to compensate for these deficits. However, they need our help as caregivers to recognize the potential problems and get professional help to maintain safe driving habits. With Driving In our family, my husband took the approach with his father telling him that we want him to continue driving as long as safely possible. We explained that there are a number of special driver training programs for seniors that, when used as a preventive measure, might prolong the number of years that Dad can continue driving.