Aging affects vision, hearing, reaction time, and can affect the joints used in driving such as the knuckles, wrists, and elbows. However, these and other changes need not prevent you from driving if you know how to compensate for them. If you find that driving is getting more difficult, these five suggestions will make driving easier and safer:
Take Advantage of Car Features That Will Help Your Driving
While new cars should have anti-lock braking systems, make sure that your car has this feature and learn how to properly use it. Other features to look for are electronic stability control, crash avoidance systems, adaptive headlights, and rear backup cameras. Low tech features are also helpful such as six-way adjustable seats, adjustable foot pedals, tilt and telescoping steering wheels, rain sensors that turn on wipers, thick steering wheels for improved grip, and high contrast instrument panels.
Avoid Dangerous Intersections
Some intersections are on blind hills and turns while others are extremely busy yet have no traffic lights. Rotaries are also difficult and tend to have a lot of traffic accidents. Also avoid making left turns on busy intersections unless they have green left arrow lights.
Avoid Driving at Difficult Times and Places
Avoid rush hour traffic and night driving. Find alternate routes to busy or dangerous roads and take public transportation into major cities and metropolitan areas, especially if the areas and roads are unfamiliar. Avoid driving in adverse weather such as rain storms and fog. Make a habit of checking the weather forecast when planning your day.
Take Driving Courses for Seniors
These aren’t the same courses you took to learn how to drive. Instead, they teach techniques specifically aimed at seniors to make driving easier. They also teach strategies on avoiding accidents that seniors commonly have and how to correctly use new car safety technologies.
See Your Doctor
Get regular health checkups and stay on top of your current health problems. Have your vision and hearing checked and ask your doctor about how your medications will affect your driving.
If you or a senior in your family has suffered injury in a car crash, we can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.