Thinking about when and where you drive

Driving regularly, if you are fit and safe to do so, will help you maintain your driving ability.

But you must stop driving if your doctor has advised you to do so. Your doctor will have thought long and hard before doing this and will only advise you to stop driving if they are certain that it is no longer safe for you to drive.

If you have not been told to stop driving, you can compensate for any reduced driving abilities due to ageing by regularly reflecting on your comfortability and confidence driving in certain situations.

Most senior drivers recognise their driving changes as they get older and subsequently decide to change how, when and where they drive to compensate for any reduced driving abilities. This is called self-regulation. It’s an important strategy to adopt to continue driving safely for as long as possible.  

Senior drivers who do not have that insight into their reduced abilities, such as those with dementia, are unlikely to self-regulate.

However, each person is different and there are large differences in how prepared senior drivers are to self-regulate. People’s readiness for self-regulation can change based on their age, gender, medical conditions and driving comfort levels. This means self-regulating looks different for everyone. Here are some examples of the choices you may make for yourself:

• I will not drive at night because I have difficulty seeing clearly and find the glare of oncoming lights blinding.

• I will only drive when there is less traffic on the road, avoiding peak hour times.

• I will limit my driving to the local area and quiet roads.

• I will avoid complex intersections and multi-lane roundabouts

• I will not drive on high-speed roads such as freeways and highways

• I will plan single trips with multiple stops, so I don’t have to drive as often

• I will walk or cycle shorter trips, knowing it also improves my health

• I will use public transport more often.

Road safety is up to all of us, which is why it is a great idea to share these useful safety tips with friends or family. It may prevent a serious crash or save a life. Encourage other senior drivers to discuss their driving with their doctor and consider if it is time to limit where and when they drive. Offer practical suggestions and advice calmly and respectfully.