Should My Senior Parent Still Be Driving?

How do you know when it’s time for your senior parent or other family member to hang up the car keys for good? Determining a senior’s driving ability isn’t always as simple as sitting beside them in the passenger seat. Plus, many older adults are reluctant to give up the independence that driving grants them. They might feel that you’re prying into their living situation by expressing concerns about their health and safety.

Although having concerns about seniors driving is common, that conversation is hardly an easy one to have. You certainly don’t want to bring up the subject unless your concerns about their safety are truly justified, but you also don’t want to wait too long to bring it up.

Below, we cut through some of the worries and give you the facts about seniors driving that could help you have the conversation before someone gets injured.

Facts About Seniors Driving

Driving requires a lot of hand-eye coordination, quick decision-making, and critical thinking. Keeping up with the fast pace of a local road or interstate also requires constant attention and keen focus. Aging can make driving more difficult due to decreased vision or hearing, decreased attention span, and cognitive decline. 

Further, certain medications can cause drowsiness or negatively affect that ever-important attention span or hand-eye coordination. These common aging challenges are some reasons older adults have significantly higher crash rates per mile than their younger peers.

It’s important to note that not all adults over the age of 65 are poor drivers or should avoid driving entirely. In fact, driving is seen as a major component of independence, self-esteem, and empowerment among older adults. Seniors that can still safely and capably drive should be encouraged to continue their regular activities.

Questions to Help Determine a Senior’s Driving Ability

How do you know when it’s no longer safe for your senior family member to drive? You can be an effective advocate for them by asking yourself the following questions to help assess their risk on the road:

1. How is their mobility?

Getting in and out of the car and operating the gas and brake pedals requires quite a bit of strength and mobility. Be sure they have the range of motion required to drive, the ability to push pedals, and the fine motor skills to grip a steering wheel, activate a blinker, or operate buttons.

If they have any weakness on one side, or if they are unable to safely get in and out of the car, a physician should evaluate them before they get behind the wheel. Any condition that causes shaking or unsteady hands or legs, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis, can also be a concern during driving.

2. Do they have a dementia diagnosis?

Cognitive functioning is imperative for safe driving. Although a diagnosis of dementia may make driving difficult, someone living in the very early stages of the disease might still feel comfortable behind the wheel.

Any type of cognitive decline, including mild cognitive impairment, can make driving unsafe. Work with your senior parent’s physician to discuss any concerns about cognitive decline and how to begin a conversation about driving, particularly if they have a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia.

3. What types of medications are they taking?

It’s common for older adults to be on more than one medication daily, which can make keeping up with side effects a bit more challenging. 

Medications that cause drowsiness can negatively affect attention span and hand-eye coordination, which makes it unsafe to drive while taking them. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration states that medications used for pain relief, to reduce seizures, and even to reduce anxiety can make getting behind the wheel a dangerous proposition in some cases.

It’s OK if you don’t know your senior parent’s current medication regimen, let alone the potential side effects. Talk to their pharmacist and ask them to look over your family member’s prescriptions and let you know if any could lead to unsafe driving conditions.

4. How is their vision?

Vision challenges during the daytime and nighttime can make driving more stressful and more dangerous. Speak candidly with their optometrist to determine if getting behind the wheel is safe when considering any issues they may have with their vision.

Research suggests that adults’ vision function declines as they age, and light glare and halos impact older drivers more, which can make nighttime driving especially dangerous. This might mean that your senior parent should avoid driving in the evening and nighttime hours but that they can still handle safely driving during the daylight hours.

5. What activities does this family member use their vehicle for currently?

For many older adults, having a vehicle means having independence and the ability to go where they want when they want. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all older adults are jumping in their vehicles daily. In fact, some older adults can find driving quite stressful and choose to leave their car parked in the garage more often than taking it out on the road. 

Determine how reliant they are on the use of their car and explore some alternative modes of transportation. Discuss these options with them to gauge their comfort level regarding these potential changes. 

Alternatives to Driving for Seniors

Nothing is more important than your family member's safety, but you also want to avoid limiting their lifestyle. If you’re worried about their driving abilities, you can begin to research other alternatives for getting them from place to place before you bring it up. 

In many cases, you can find other options, such as senior transportation services, rideshares, or public transportation, that will still allow them to get to their grocery store, bank, place of worship, or favorite restaurant. Start by determining what events or activities they’re currently driving to and how often those events occur.

Once you do breach the subject, work with them to build a list of resources that can provide transportation assistance. Include the names and phone numbers of other family members, friends, and neighbors who would be up for giving them a ride as needed, as well as local resources and emergency options.

Every Senior’s Driving Ability Is Different

There isn’t a specific age at which adults lose their ability to drive. Therefore, keeping tabs on your aging family members' capabilities as the years pass is essential to keeping them safe. Perhaps go on a drive with them every once in a while, and encourage them to talk about any concerns they might have with their driving ability. You can also check in with their physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers to get their professional opinions on whether or not your family member can still capably and safely operate a vehicle.

Providing safe and reliable methods of transportation is just one way that Cedarhurst prioritizes resident well-being in our senior living communities. Nothing is more important to us than the safety and welfare of our community members, which is illustrated by our holistic approach to aging and health.

This post was originally published in April 2022 and updated in October 2024.