The Mature Driver, Physical Changes, Safer Driving

In many ways older drivers, due to their years of driving experience and more mature judgment, are better drivers. Knowing how to avoid dangerous situations and being more cautious and deliberate are almost second nature to older drivers.

Throughout life, however, visual and cognitive performance continually recedes. A 30-year-old probably doesn't hear as well as an eleven-year-old. After age fourteen visual acuity begins to wane, and by the time a driver reaches age 55 he or she is used to experiencing physical changes. But, there is convincing evidence that after age 55 the changes may happen faster and drivers may need to pay more attention to the skills needed to drive safely.

After age 75, careful driving is even more crucial. But, age alone doesn't define driving ability, and there is a wide degree of difference in driving performance among older people of the same age.

It is important to be aware of one very significant fact: older persons are more vulnerable to injury than younger people. People 65 and older are more than three times as likely as 20-year-olds to die from serious injuries of equal severity.

What can older drivers do to be safer while driving?

• Use your safety belt!
• Maintain good health habits. Exercise, proper nutrition and regular medical check-ups keep minds and bodies in top condition for driving.
• Stay alert. You must be in control at all times because driving requires quick decisions.
• Resist being complacent just because driving has become a routine for 30 or 40 years.
• Try to avoid roads where traffic is heavy.
• Exercise caution at night. Eighty-five percent of the information we need to drive safely comes through our eyes. As we age, our eyes become more sensitive to glare, requiring twice as much light as we needed to see when we were young. Be especially careful when driving at dawn and dusk.
• Take part in mature driving training programs such as AARP's "55 Alive Defensive Driving Course" and workshops offered by communities and schools.
• Don't mix alcohol or medications and driving.
• Select a car with an instrument panel that's easy to use and read.
• Learn how to benefit from vehicle features that can make driving safer for you, such as properly designed seats, air bags and anti-lock brakes.