Retiring from driving

Driving involves completing several tasks, often simultaneously (such as braking and steering). These tasks require several physical and cognitive attributes, including:

• Good judgment, planning, and decision-making abilities.

• The ability to focus.

• Quick reaction time.

• Coordination.

• Adequate muscle strength.

• Good range of motion in the upper body (upper trunk, shoulders, and neck).

• Good vision and hearing.

Gradual changes with age in any of these attributes can greatly affect your ability to drive safely and may mean you are not aware of the level of risk you pose to yourself and other road users while driving.

There are several warning signs to watch out for which may need you to reconsider your ability to drive safely in the future:

• Driving behavior and skills:

  • Difficulty seeing street signs, road markings, and other road users.

  • Sensitivity to sun glare or lights when driving at night.

  • Difficulty staying within lane markings.

  • Slower decision making (e.g. deciding when to move at a roundabout or intersection).

  • Poor distance judgement (e.g. driving too close to other cars).

  • Difficulty parking.

  • Mistaking the accelerator pedal for the brake.

  • Not noticing traffic lights, stop signs, give way signs and other traffic signs.

  • Slowing or stopping without reason in a lane of traffic.

  • Not using the indicators.

  • Mobility issues that affect your ability to drive (e.g. using foot pedals, turning your head, steering, using dashboard controls).

  • Having more “fender bender” collisions or near misses more often.

• Anxiety and confusion when driving:

  • Becoming confused (e.g. driving on the wrong side of the road or in the wrong lane at an intersection).

  • Forgetting where you are going or where you have left the car.

  • Difficulty concentrating.

  • Feeling anxious or not coping with changed conditions like roadworks.

  • Finding unexplained dents or scratches on your car.

• Responses from others:

  • Other people not wanting to be a passenger in your car.

  • Being honked at by other drivers – whilst we should be alert to possible reasons for such a reaction, abusing an older driver by unreasonable honking or verbal insult is never acceptable.

If any of the warning signs apply to you or someone you know, now is the time to seek medical advice, and discuss safe driving with your doctor.