A special auto insurance topic
Anyone will find it very difficult to implement the 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 who has to stop driving, the associated loss of independence is painful, and very painful.
However, telling an older person to stop driving can be a necessary evil at one point or another.
Once an older driver begins to show a decline in their physical or mental abilities, including impaired vision, hearing loss, slower reflexes, arthritis, diabetes (and of course Parkinson’s disease and dementia), is prone to becoming a road hazard. . In addition, dependence on certain medications, such as anti-anxiety drugs, narcotics, and sleeping pills, poses a certain risk to the driver, other drivers, and passengers, as well as pedestrians.
To underscore the safety concerns of the older driver, insurance sources say car accident deaths rise with those over 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 changing to the proper lane of traffic
• hit curbs
• scratching or denting the car or hitting the garage or mailbox off the sidewalk
• Side sweep of other vehicles
• Driving excessively 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 touchy subject and a change that will have such an impact on your loved one’s life, telling an older driver to stop driving is something you should plan for before you discuss it.
Make a list of things you or others have observed that are telltale signs that it’s time to let others drive.
Arrange for alternate means of transportation that your loved one can rely on after they no longer drive: family, friends, senior center volunteers, public bus or train services, car services, etc.
Think of ways your older person can fill the void in life that he or she will feel once the keys are no longer available.
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.
