When to quit driving
Decision a struggle for older driversBy Connie Cartmell, ccartmell@mariettatimes.com
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Fact Box
Warning signs for older drivers
Decrease in confidence while driving.
Difficulty turning to see when backing up.
Riding the brake.
Easily distracted while driving.
Other drivers often honk horns.
Incorrect signaling.
Parking inappropriately.
Hitting curbs.
Scrapes or dents on the car, mailbox or garage.
Increased agitation or irritation when driving.
Failure to notice traffic signs, navigate turns, notice important activity on the side of the road.
Driving at inappropriate speeds.
Near misses.
Getting lost in familiar places.
Failure to stop at stop sign or red light.
Confusing gas and brake pedals, or confusion at exits.
Car accident.
Source: http//www.thehartford.com/talkwitholderdrivers.
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Should people have to retake their driving test after a certain age?For the past two weeks, Betty Rhodes, 85, has been without her car. It's been in the repair shop and she has no spare "wheels."
"It's been terrible without a car," Rhodes said. "It's not easy, especially walking on these hot days."
Rhodes is among about 1.5 million Ohio residents age 65 and older. That's 13.3 percent of the total population, as compared to 12.4 percent of the U.S. population.
While many of these citizens are still driving, as birthdays come and go, some have made the decision to give up their keys and licenses.
When the time comes, a large number of older adults make the decision themselves to quit driving.
It saves family or friends from approaching the sensitive and sometimes, upsetting topic.
About eight years ago Karen Eddy's mother, Doris Rinard, of Marietta, put away her car keys and never looked back.
"My mother has always been a very independent person, but she developed a degenerative retinal problem (macular degeneration) and she just didn't feel secure driving anymore," Eddy said.
Today her mother, 85, is helped with transportation by her family and friends.
"She did this all on her own," Eddy said. "I think she just lost her confidence."
Experts say that a decrease in confidence is the number one warning sign regarding declining driving abilities.
For others, the decision may not be voluntary.
"Age is not always a determinant," said Sgt. Len Ritchey with the Marietta Police Department. "I have seen people 80 years old who are every bit as sharp as a 30-year-old, and 50-year-olds who are confused and shouldn't be still driving."
For older drivers, the rate of fatalities increases slightly after age 65 and significantly after age 75. In fact, drivers in their late 50s and early 60s are the safest drivers on the road, according to a 2004 study by AAA. But the study also found that drivers older than 85 were nearly four times as likely to die in a crash as middle-aged drivers.
On Monday afternoon, a local citizen phoned Marietta police to report that an elderly driver was driving left of center and erratically across the Washington Street Bridge. An officer was dispatched and he followed the car several blocks, finally pulling the driver over along Fourth Street. After speaking with the driver and observing no traffic violations, the officer let the individual go with no citation.
Officers must have probable cause to stop a driver, according to Ritchey. While a report like Monday's can suffice, the major reason for such a stop is because of an accident, usually minor.
"Families ask us all the time to talk to the older family member about giving up driving. We can't do that," Ritchey said. "What we suggest is that if you begin to notice decreased driving skills or specific problems, talk to the person."
Since 2002, Jerry Geisler of Marietta has taught a refresher driving course for seniors at the O'Neill Center and Marietta Memorial Hospital. The course is written and sponsored by the AARP.
"There is no set age to take away somebody's car keys," Geisler said. "People who want to take away keys - that's drama."
Geisler said the first step is to talk with an older loved one about driving. In the class, he hands out a safe driving book, "We Need to Talk: Family Conversations with Older Drivers," produced by The Hartford insurance group.
"What others need to do is allow the older driver to make the decision," he said.
Those who take Geisler's course often increase their confidence behind the wheel and learn about today's challenges on the road.
"I have so many people tell me that they learned about things they had forgotten about," he said.
Two Geisler courses, one at the O'Neill Senior Center and the other at Marietta Memorial Hospital, are coming up in October and November. The cost is $10 for the eight-hour course.
Beyond a vision screening, no re-examination is required to renew a driver's license, regardless of the driver's age. An older driver who has an accident or has been stopped by officers for a violation can be referred to court, where police can request he or she be re-tested.
When the individual is ordered by the court to be re-tested, 95 percent don't pass, Ritchey said.
Left turns are the most dangerous situations for an older driver, Geisler said. There are likely more crashes while turning left, when drivers must make quick judgments about whether or stop or go, he said.
"As people get older, they lose depth perception. They may think they have a clear path to turn, but they may not," he said.
Rhodes has never had an accident and is looking forward to getting behind the wheel again.
Active at the O'Neill Senior Center, she has walked back and forth four times in recent weeks from her condominium home near Ohio Street to the 300 block of Fourth Street and the center.
Being without a car has caused her to begin thinking about what it might be like to give up driving all together. It isn't a pleasant thought, she said.
"I know people who have given up their car," Rhodes said. "I don't want to ever lose the ability to drive or freedom of my car, but also, I don't want to ever be a hazard to anyone else," Rhodes said.
In the meantime, Rhodes has been walking or catching a ride here and there with her daughter, Nancy Matheny. Family and friends are the best alternative to driving for older adults, but there may be conflicting feelings of burdening or inconveniencing others.
Although she hasn't minded occasional trips lately, Matheny said she can imagine that there could be issues arise for a family if driving Mom or Dad was an every day occurrence.
"Working it into your own schedule might be an issue," she said.
Now she enjoys checking in with her mother to see if she needs to go to the store or even just wants to ride along. This "taste" of being without a car is teaching both lessons.
"Now Mom thinks that walking has been a plus for her," Matheny said. "She's noticed an improvement in her stamina the more she walks, and she isn't spending money on gasoline."
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mttamom
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07-23-08 10:33 AM
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This article should have included the other forms of transportation available, family, friends, CABL; and other reasons for "when to stop driving"-Drs. advice, dementia,.... there are many other reasons. Some, as we age, get set in our ways, and change in schedule is very frustrating (especially one with dementia), therefore it becomes even more difficult to "talk with your loved one" - they simply won't listen or just forget-so what does one do then Mr. Geisler? What does one do if they think you're lying to them, they think you're all against him/her when you "try talking to your loved one", or it's a conspiracy of some sort, &/or your loved one has an easy to set off temper? This article just didn't provide enough information all around, if it had, there may be some out there that might give it much more thought as to whether they should give up their keys as well as the other transportation options available to them if/when they do.
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Indian
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07-22-08 10:39 PM
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When you cannot see any more. quit driving. When you cannot hear any longer.. quit driving. When you cannot control a car any longer...quit driving. When you cannot go over 20 miles per hour, park the car. I do not care how old you are. Age doesn't matter. Take the tests; and if the answer is quit driving, then do it.
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ladynoogs
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07-22-08 7:50 PM
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Parents wont let thier kids drive before they can safely do it. When parents can no longer be safe behind the wheel its up to the kids (or whomever is in the persons life) to be sure they don't. The best thing would be for the person who can no longer drive to be proactive and just stop when they know they can no longer safely drive. But with the pride some of the older people have, its hard for them to give themselves over to the care of others.. and i can totally understand that. If i lost my independence i'd be devistated, and i'm only 31.
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Parrothead
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07-22-08 5:14 PM
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My father suffered from strokes, uncontrolled diabetes & signs of Alzheimer’s. Got a ticket 4 speeding & passing illegally, hit a car on private property –police did nothing. They even admitted that he seemed disoriented when talked to. He passed 3 loading school buses, no one reported him. I asked his Dr. for help convincing him to stop driving, the Dr. was no help. I disabled dad’s car & his “friends” came over & fixed it. My father was a danger to himself & the public at large yet I could get no one to help me get him off the road. Dad drove until the day he parked his car, fell in a parking lot & could NOT tell anyone who he was, where he was or how he got there. My heart broke to see this happen, but I thank God that he was off the road & nothing tragic had happened. I understood how hard it is to give up that freedom, I will hate it when it happens to me, but driving is a privilege not a right. The safety of the public MUST be placed first!
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Finallap
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07-22-08 10:16 AM
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I have been behind several elderly drivers,and they have been just has bad as any drunk driver I have seen..But I have seen some that drives as good as anyone else..I think at least above 75 they should be retested..I really think the only ones that will gripe about it is the ones that cant pass the test I tried and tried to get my dad to quit driving,but his pride would not let him quit.. Then one day I followed him,with my wife running a video camera..A couple of days later I showed him the video,but he swore up and down that was a car just like his..Then we showed him where we zoomed in on the plate number..He never drove after that...He was hurt,I was hurt for doing it,but about a month later he thanked me for opening his eyes..I think the biggest reasons people wont quit driving is pride,and their children wont lend a hand..
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