Accidents are one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and as we age, you can become a harm to yourself or others on the roads if your skills are diminishing without you realizing it.
Maintaining the ability to drive into our senior years is an important way for us to maintain our independence, but at some point, it can become a liability. A great way for seniors to keep tabs on their driving ability is to perform a self-driving checkup every year.
Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at a six-step process you can easily do to determine whether you can safely remain behind the wheel.
- Range of Vision
Place each of your elbows alongside your head and raise your hands to form a 90-degree angle with your elbow. While looking straight ahead, wiggle your fingers. You should be able to see them in your peripheral vision. If not, move your arms slightly closer to your field of vision until you can see them. If you have to move your hands more than a few inches to see them, check with your eye doctor.
- Flexibility
Place a chair with the back against a door in your home. Sit in the chair and rotate to try and see the doorknob. If you cannot do this, you may have trouble seeing when backing up or if noticing whether a car is in your blind spot.
- Driving Record Review
If you have two or more traffic tickets or warmings over the past two years, that could indicate diminished driving skills and an increased risk of a crash.
- Think About Your Time Behind the Wheel
Ask yourself the following questions: Are you routinely passed or honked at? Do you avoid certain intersections because you feel it’s harder for you to maneuver through it? Do you feel cars appear out of nowhere? Have you forgotten where you were going? Have you mistakenly run a solid red light (not trying to speed through at yellow)? Any of these could be a sign of diminished driving ability.
- Health Considerations
Are you on any medication that contains a warning about impacting driving ability or could make you sleepy or otherwise cause a state of diminished alertness?
- Seek Others’ Opinions
Find someone who will give you an honest opinion of your driving ability and if they have noticed any concerning trends in recent months or years.
To learn more about Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://martine-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org/.
