How old is too old to drive?

Jinx U

This is a battle for the ages, my friend. My family's going through this with my grandmother as well. Like most seniors in this situation, it's her health that is causing the issue, not just her age. Unless vision, judgement, and reflexes are adequately measured by a standard - and that standard is enforced - this problem is not going to go away.

Paul

Many over 80 y/o's can drive competently. Most cannot. In the case of my father, when he started clipping parked cars when turning, we (the family) made the decision to pull his car keys and not allow him behind the wheel. Unfortunately, that caused him to lose interest in living, but there was no other choice. Maybe you need to consider doing the same......

deann_lyn

When a person cannot see anymore, or starts suffering from dementia.

Blubla

jinxu has a very good response, Ive lived in a senior complex for years, what I have seen would turn you permanently grey, people putting their car in reverse to go forward or, vice a versea, going through their walls, nieghbors garage doors, glass store doors, bank doors, dizzy, having a hard time keeping their balance, but driving on a busy, busy freeway, ect, ect, ect. My mother told us and I told my children when the time comes, if we don,t have enough since to stop driving, disable the car. My
mom stopped at 82, never had an accident. She was healthy, driven since she was 13. Just said one day, "its time to give the pickup and car to my grandsons, but you will come at my bidding, she did and they did.

Blubla

WindyGale

It depends on the health and mental capacity of the person to the age a person is forced to stop driving. You would be really hard to set an age. I know some people in the 60s that need to stop driving because they have had several accidents.

You many have to just away her keys to car for her own good and the good of others.

livingdeadgurl

This will vary from person to person. It is a hard call for a child to make for their parents. The parents (or grandparents in this case) do not want to limit their independence and the children (or grandchildren) are worried about the consequences. There have been talks about having elderly individuals retake the driving portion of the DMV exam, but many people have different opinions on this. With your individual case, if the accidents were your grandmother's fault I would talk to your parents and her about whether she should be driving any more. It might not be easy and I hope that it goes well!

jackstesso

when a persion cannot shift gears without synchro transmission

tech_fanatic

I don't think you can make this decision only on age. The ability varies from person to person. There is an 85 year old man that lives across the street from me. He is one of the best drivers that I know. He takes himself everywhere and he is gone all the time. I've seen him leave in the early morning and not get home until 10 at night. He is very cautious and very alert. In the many years I have known him, he has not had one accident, close encounter, or even scratch in his vehicle.

My grandmother still drove when she was in her early 70s. She was able to drive just fine. She would take herself to get her hair done, to get coffee or breakfast, etc. But she preferred to be taken places. She would call up one of her kids if she wanted to go to dinner and make them take her where she wanted. But this was more an issue of preferance than ability. She wanted company and didn't feel like driving. My uncles told her to stay home when it was snowing and they would take her, it was more for her safety even though she could drive. With ice and stuff, it was bad for her to walk long distances.

I believe that once drivers get to a certain age they should have to be tested to see their ability to drive. Perhaps the doctors could recommend whether or not they should be driving. But it would be discriminating to simply say someone above the age of 75 or whatever that they can no longer drive.

robert_simmons71

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