Who me? Turn over the keys? Actually...

Our culture presumes that we can pretty much get anywhere at any time:

·         Run to the grocery store for some last minute ingredients?  I’m on my way!

·         Meet the grandkids after school for some afternoon fun?  I’m there!

·         Part time job?  Here I come!

·         Meet friends for last minute coffee klatch?  Wouldn’t miss it!

Then one day we turn around and those last minute outings don’t seem so easy—perhaps there was a forgetful moment, a near miss, or we’ve had some physical injuries or setbacks that hampered or curtailed driving. 

Many of us look at the ability to drive as central to who we are—it’s part of our identity and tied to many things—our independence, how we enjoy life and part of what makes us feel like productive members of the community.  After many years of safe driving, it’s difficult to stand by and listen to someone question our ability to drive.

No doubt, there are some individuals who should stop driving, however, some can drive safely—but how can we ensure that our driving abilities and skills are up to par?  Have we done everything that we need to in order to continue driving safely?

Advancing age doesn’t necessarily mean you have to stop driving; many people make adjustments to their driving in order to stay safe.  For instance, some people may alter the time of day they drive to avoid rush hour and heavy traffic or drive only during daylight hours due to low vision.  This is actually a great strategy for aging adults whose physical and cognitive abilities are shifting.

Those with significant health issues or physical limitations can sometime drive safely as well—the key is to learn about your personal ability to drive safely.  So how can someone evaluate their driving ability without having to guess whether or not their driving is up to par? 

There are a number of organizations designed to help mature drivers be safer in their own vehicles, one way to do this without fear of losing your license and to get an accurate assessment is to pay a visit to an occupational therapist who specializes in driving evaluations.  Here are a couple of suggestions from Hartford Insurance:

1.       Occupational therapists who regularly conduct driving evaluations and are certified by either:

·         The American Occupational Therapy Association with Special Certification in Driving and Community Mobility (SCDCM), or

·         The Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists as Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (CDRS)

2.       Caregivers of older adults or other older individuals who have participated in Driving Evaluations for older adults such as CarFIT

Actually, most of us could really benefit from a driving evaluation—no matter what age!  In fact, our company participated in training at CarFIT to help older adults have a comfortable fit in their own vehicle as well as improving blind spots and other visual and physical necessities for safe driving.  It was pretty eye opening and I even made adjustments in my own car following training!   

~ Drive safe everyone!