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When is it time for an older person to stop driving?

When is it time for an older person to stop driving?

A special car insurance topic

It will be very difficult for anyone to implement change.

Although following a diet plan, exercise regimen, or educational program, doing so successfully results in positive changes that a person feels good about. When it comes to an older driver having to stop driving, the associated loss of independence is painful, and much more.

However, telling an older person to stop driving can be a necessary evil at some point.

Once an older driver begins to show a decline in his physical or mental abilities including poor eyesight, hearing loss, slower reflexes, arthritis, diabetes, and certainly Parkinson’s disease and dementia, he is prone to becoming a danger on the road. . In addition, dependence on certain medications, such as anxiolytics, narcotics and sleeping pills, constitutes a safe risk for the driver, other drivers and passengers, as well as for pedestrians.

To underscore the safety concerns of the older driver, insurance sources say that auto accident fatalities increase with those over the age of 70.

Take a look at some of the warning signs that may indicate that being the navigator behind the wheel of a car is no longer a good idea:

• Tendency to be distracted

• slow to react

• difficulty staying within lane lines

• difficulty moving into the proper lane of traffic

• hit curbs

• scratch or dent the car or hit the garage or curbside mailbox

• Side sweep of other vehicles

• Driving too fast or slow

• Failure to stop at a red light or stop sign

• Stopping at a green light or when there is no stop sign

• Tendency to get lost

Because it is such a sensitive topic and a change that will have a huge impact on your loved one’s life, telling an older driver to stop driving is something to plan before discussing it.

Make a list of things that you or others have observed that are telltale signs that it is time to let others do the driving.

Arrange for alternative means of transportation that your loved one can rely on after they no longer drive: relative, friends, volunteers from a senior facility, public bus or train services, car services, etc.

Think of the ways your older person can fill the void in life that you will feel once the keys are no longer available to you.

Above all, keep sensitivity in mind at all times. Be kind and compassionate as you show your loved one that you support and respect them and understand how difficult such a life change can be.

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