Unfortunately, as people age, they sometimes lose their ability to drive safely because of reduced reflexes, vision problems, or other age-related issues. If you have a friend or family member who is getting older and struggling to drive safely, there are several things you can do to help the driving situation.If you are concerned about the person's ability to safely drive, encourage the person to have their vision and hearing checked. You could even volunteer to go with the person and have your hearing or vision checked. If it seems like you are going together, it might make the situation less embarrassing for the person.Encourage the person to install things like a back-up camera and other safety features or to buy a vehicle with these features already installed. You could even buy the person a back-up camera and install it yourself.Encourage your friend or family member to take an AARP driver-safety course for experienced drivers. As a bonus, the person might be able to get a discount on car insurance by taking the course.Make yourself available to drive the person around, especially if the person has reached a point where they can no longer safely drive at all.Even if the person has not completely lost their ability to drive, you may want to volunteer to drive them in specific situations. For example, nighttime driving, freeway driving, and driving in bad weather can become difficult as the person's vision and reflexes start to decline. For many people, losing their driving ability is synonymous with losing their independence. Help your friend or family member find ways to continue to feel independent and useful.Although it might difficult, in some cases, you may have to take the keys away from the person and have their license taken away to prevent the person from driving if they are a safety risk to themselves and others. Aging Care's website provides some tips for having the person's license legally taken away.Unfortunately, drivers of all ages sometimes cause accidents. If you were hurt in an automobile accident caused by another driver,contact us. A personal injury lawyer will provide you with a free case evaluation.
