Senior Driving Tips Arlington Texas

Here are some warning signs and senior driving tips, to keep yourself or an aging loved one, safe while driving. 

Senior Driving Tips

Aging is a part of life and with it can come some significant changes in health, vision, flexibility, coordination, and strength; these are all factors that can affect an individual’s ability to drive safely. There’s no set age when an individual should stop driving, as everyone ages at their own personal pace. However, it is likely that at some point, as a senior citizen, you will have to adjust to certain changes that come with aging to ensure your driving skills remain safe. It’s important to recognize the signs that you or your loved one’s driving skills are being effected and to know the proper steps to take to make necessary adjustments. While senior driving tips are great, you may want to seek out some additional educational resources.

Warning Signs of Unsafe Driving:

1. Vision Problems. Eye conditions, medication, and aging in general can affect an individual’s vision. These factors can cause issues with the ability to focus, may cause light sensitivity or night blindness, and can even affect peripheral vision. If you find it increasingly difficult to read street signs, experience difficulty seeing clearly in the dark, or have difficulties reacting accordingly when another driver passes you from behind or on the side, you vision may be affecting your ability to drive safely.
2. Reflexes. Are you or your loved one able to brake quickly? Have you ever confused the brake and gas pedals before? Do you find yourself becoming frustrated because you or they feel as though they are not able to react quickly enough while driving? These can be indications that aging reflexes may be affecting your ability to drive safely and have safe reaction times.
3. Hearing. We use our hearing much more than we realize while driving. Very often, we are able to hear a vehicle approaching us before we even see it. Not to mention, the need hear approaching emergency sirens. When hearing starts to diminish, we are left to rely on more on our other senses and this is not always effective, while driving.
4. Memory. If you find yourself or a loved one missing exits you or they commonly take or getting lost frequently, this could be an indication that your memory is not what it used to be and this can significantly affect your ability to drive safely.
5. Increased Traffic Citations. If you or your loved one have experienced an increase in the number of traffic citations you’ve received; this could be a big red flag that your or their driving abilities have been compromised by aging.

Senior Driving Tips:

1. Have your vision checked regularly and always wear prescribed glasses or contacts while driving, if you are supposed to. Many states have driver’s license laws with special provisions for older adults. In Texas, People age 85 and older are required to renew their driver’s license every two years and, after age 79 must apply in person for every renewal, where they must pass a vision test. However, this is not the only vision test you should have, every two years, if you are over a certain age. Vision prescriptions can change very often, as we get older.
2. Have a thorough physical exam performed by your physician, at least once a year. This is a great way to detect any issues, you may having with diminished reflexes or hearing loss. Also, speak to your doctor about any medications you are taking, that can affect any of your senses.
3. If you notice changes in your driving or an increase in traffic citations, look into finding a driver improvement program, in your area, that focuses on senior citizen driving.

There’s no set age for when a person should no longer continue to drive. There are ways to adjust your driving and senior driving tips to follow, as you age, to keep yourself or a loved one safe. Even if you are on medication or suffer some medical ailment, you can continue driving with some modifications and keep your independence in tact. It’s just very important to know the signs of diminished driving ability and to also take the appropriate action required to modify or adjust your driving skills as you become a senior. While senior driving tips are important, they should not be your only resource for safe driving.To find more about senior driving tips, visit a defensive driving site today!

A Sense Of Humor Defensive Driving
5917 Baroncrest Drive
Arlington TX 76017
817-812-2011

Topic: Senior Driving Tips