Solutions?

So what can older drivers do to compensate for the problems that are inevitable for most of us? And how can driving instructors help older drivers.

While courses exist in the UK for older drivers, the retraining and assessment of elderly motorists is not part of our mainstream culture.

If you are an older driver some of the ideas below might help, if you are a driving instructor you can use the information as a starting point for your new ‘Safer Driving Over Sixty-Five’ courses.

Vision:

All drivers should have regular eye checks.

This becomes more important as we get older. Drivers over sixty years of age will gain peace-of-mind from an annual visit to the optician to check for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other conditions associated with aging.

By simply making sure that you always wear your glasses (if you need them for driving) you can do much to improve your safety.

Follow the night driving rules of making sure your windows and lights are clean. Use clear glass spectacles at night, tinted glass may reduce the glare, but it will also dangerously reduce what you can see.

If approaching headlights dazzle you, momentarily look down and to the left of the road. Changes in light and long shadows can make driving at dawn and dusk particularly difficult, avoid these times whenever possible.

Physical problems:

Fitness to drive is no different from fitness for many other activities. Seek out a senior fitness programme that can help tone your muscles with light exercise (subject to your doctor’s approval).

By choosing a car with automatic transmission, power steering and power-assisted brakes, the driving task becomes easier.

There are special aids available to help with all aspects of driving, however, if you shift from manual to automatic transmission, or make other changes, seek help from a specialist, qualified driving instructor.

Hearing:

Get used to watching for the flashing lights of emergency vehicles if you have difficulty hearing the sirens; getting into the habit of making lots of mirror checks will help with this.

Reaction time:

Unfortunately, I don’t know how to improve your reaction time, however, you can compensate by following a few simple rules:-

• Stick to familiar routes
  
• Avoid the rush hour traffic
  
• Find routes that are quieter, even if they take a bit longer
  
• In town, plan your routes so that right turns are at traffic lights with green arrows
  
• Avoid busy right turns if there is an alternative
  
• Use a passenger as a second pair of eyes at junctions, but never rely solely on their judgement.

Follow the three-second rule:

To do this watch the vehicle in front pass a fixed point and say out loud - “Only a fool breaks the three-second rule and I’ve got time to spare” - this takes about three or four econds to say.

If you pass the fixed point before you finish speaking, drop back, you are too close for comfort!

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