Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Driving safely after age 60
Driving a car when you are over the age of 60, can become increasing difficult. There are changes that naturally occur as we age which can affect the way you drive. What you see and how quickly you can react to the ever-changing situations around you, can make all the difference.
According to American Optometric Association’s website article, “Adult Vision: Over 60 year of Age,” changes can occur in your ability to see things which are far away. This impacts how you see road signs, directionals and other traffic. You may notice changes in your vision for items with are closer to you, such as the car instrument panel, maps or GPS.
Changing your vision from distance to close up can also be impaired. You may no longer be able to make the transition from close to far, as quickly as you once did. This delay in processing can impact the decisions you make creating dangerous situations. Ultimately, this can lead to difficulty judging distances and speeds in which automobiles are traveling.
Changes in color perception, seeing in low light or at night as well as adjusting to bright sunlight or glare from headlights can have a tremendous impact on our driving. If low light is an issue, avoid driving after dusk or wearing sunglasses later in the day. If bright light is as issue, avoid driving without sunglasses or at night. As a guideline, driving in the evening or low light situations presents the most issues.
According the SeniorDriving.AAA.com’s article “Sharpness of Vision & Changing Focus,” a big issue affecting your vision that is much harder to recognize is the loss of the field of view.
In this article, you can look at the difference in the field of view you see when you are 16, verses 46 and 76 years of age. As you age, the field of view becomes significantly smaller.
When you are 16 years old, you can approach and intersection and see the entire intersection and beyond. As a 76-year-old entering an intersection, you will only see what is in the intersection directly in from of you. You have limited ability to the right and left, as well as across the intersection to oncoming traffic. To be able to enter the intersection safely, you will need to take more time to assess the safety of moving forward.
Being able to drive safely means being able to acknowledge the deficits you experience and then have a plan to address them. Sometimes it is as simple as not driving after dark, wearing sunglasses, avoiding high traffic situations and times of the day. The answer is not always this easy.
If your field of view is diminishing there may not be much you can do to counteract it. Use extra caution when entering the intersection. Be sure to look in both directions to compensate. Reduce your speed and limit the amount of driving you do.
Annual eye examinations as well as conversations with your doctors can help you to do decide when is the right time for you to give up driving, if necessary. Several organizations offer driving courses for seniors as well.
These are ways you can make the decision to stop driving yours. If family or friends are talking to you about not driving, listen to them. This is a tough topic to bring up to anyone. Do your part and make the decision on your own. All anyone wants is for everyone to be safe.