The Crittenden Automotive Library

Maintaining Your Safety As A Motoring Senior

Maintaining Your Safety As A Motoring Senior

Lucy Wyndham
8 December 2020

Driving is the hobby of a lifetime for many, but there comes a time when the risk is inherently raised on account of age. According to driver’s advocacy and research body the IIHS, fatal crash rates rise noticeably at age 70-74 and are highest in the age group of 85+. While this is a complex statistic, bringing in factors such as increased susceptibility to injury, it remains that senior drivers are exposed to a higher rate of medical problems that can lead to an increased risk on the road. As a result, it’s important that seniors regularly assess whether they are safe on the road. There are a couple of key areas to look out for.

Visual impairment

The most easily identifiable risk factor is eyesight. Impaired vision is obviously not an issue that purely impacts older people, but as 3M note, there is a high prevalence of vision loss in senior citizens. This rate can rise to one in 10 in the 80 and over age category. Drivers who have benefited from good eyesight throughout their life can often be unaware of when it degrades, as opposed to those with lifelong vision conditions who will be aware of any changes. Drivers at all ages should get regular eye tests to ensure they are fit to be on the road, but this is especially important in senior citizens. Both myopia and hyperopia are more common in older adults, who are also more prone to eye illnesses.

Long-term health effects

The eyes are the easiest thing to consider when getting on to the road. What about other conditions? The percentage of people with chronic health conditions increases as the age categories go up. According to the CDC, 85% of those aged 65 or over have a chronic health condition, compared with only 69.5% of those aged 55 to 64. When put onto the road, these health conditions create an extra risk, whether that be a loss of control due to a heart or lung condition; or lack of driving ability stemming from a cognitive condition. There can be any number of reasons why you might not be fit to drive, and senior citizens should seek to check with their physician as to how any potential condition is going to impact them in the future.

Time to stop?

It might well be that senior citizens find they have no choice but to stop driving. Taking this decision isn’t easy, and can it be a heart breaking choice for lifelong motor enthusiasts. What it will do is ensure that you are safer in the long run, and crucially, that other families on the road are safe. It doesn’t have to mean you have to stop your relationship with cars, either: vintage car shows, supervised track driving, documentaries and enthusiast websites are all there to provide inspiration.

As your years advance, check in with your physical and mental health and check you’re still safe for the road. It will protect you, and it will protect others. Even if you do have to hang up your driving gloves, this doesn’t mean you have to sever your relationship with the humble automobile.