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December 15, 2015 By Deon

When Should a Senior Citizen Stop Driving?

When Should Senior Citizens No Longer Drive?A driver’s license represents a sense of personal freedom and independence, and for many young people, it’s a rite of passage. However, older adults often have difficulty knowing when it’s time to voluntarily give up their driving privileges. Losing control of a vehicle due to confusion or panic can result in a catastrophic car accident, so it’s important to address any perceived driving problems quickly. While there are no hard and fast rules relating to seniors and driving, here are some tips to consider when talking to an older adult about driving, safety and possibly giving up the keys. 

Plan for the Discussion in Advance

Elderly people are constantly facing challenges that result in the loss of freedom, so they tend to be very inflexible when it comes to driving. Since it’s often taken for granted, people usually fail to recognize just how much of a factor driving plays in someone’s overall quality of life. Any discussion with a senior about driving should be planned well in advance. The process will likely include several discussions, so it’s important to maintain reasonable expectations. Try and arrange to talk during a quiet time of day, and remember that the decision is ultimately up to the person who will be relinquishing the keys.

Developing a Health Assessment 

Older drivers are usually very safe, but there can be physical changes that affect driving skills as we age. When muscles weaken and joints stiffen, it can become difficult to back up, check the blind spot or brake properly. Eyesight and hearing may also be affected. Older adults often need better lighting to see at night and are more unsettled by glare. Peripheral vision narrows as we age, and vision problems from eye disease can impact driving skills. Always try and confirm that an older driver is in good health, and check to see if any prescribed medication they are taking will alter their driving skills.

Evaluating Driving Skills

Prior to any driving-related discussions, it’s important to ride with an elderly driver to quietly assess their skill level. Look for the following signs that might indicate there is some sort of impairment:

* Frequently almost having car accidents
* Getting lost on familiar roads
* A growing number of dents and scrapes on the vehicle, tire rims and garage doors
* Responding slowly to rapidly developing situations
* Difficulty seeing traffic signs and pavement markings
* Difficulty turning around when backing up
* An unusual number of tickets or warnings

Finding Other Forms of Transportation

Helping an older person transition from driving to the use of alternate forms of transportation can relieve a lot of the stress and anxiety they may be feeling. Taxi services, carpools, ridesharing services and buses can all offer viable transportation options. Civic groups and religious organizations often have volunteers willing to provide free rides. Once an elderly person realizes that they can continue to live a full life without driving, the transition will be much easier.

If you have been involved in a car accident contact San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys today!

Filed Under: blog, Distracted Driving, Safe Driving, Senior Citizens Tagged With: Blog, safe driving, Senior Citizens

December 8, 2015 By Deon

Are the Gadgets in Our Vehicles Causing Car Accidents?

Distractive driving can cause car accidentsSmart technology – it’s all around you. If you own a smartphone, you use smart technology every day. People now set appointments, check their email and track their fitness progress on smartwatches. For years, drivers have kept up with traffic reports and navigated easily with the help of GPS in their cars. Manufacturers have now started to implement wireless Internet-ready vehicles to keep people logged on wherever they go. With all the car accidents from texting while driving, what effect will new gadgets in our cars have as we stay connected on the go? If we do not use caution, more gadgets will cause more distracted driving and will result in more car accidents.

Smart Gadgets in Today’s Vehicles

Get inside just about any new car on the market today, and check out the dashboard. It looks like a visual computer display that belongs in “Star Trek.” Even Google has pushed for Android touch-screen monitors on the dash to keep drivers connected to their music, contacts and other information. Many of these gadgets, such as advanced GPS displays, help people on the road. In fact, of 220 million vehicles in the U.S., nearly 7 percent have GPS.
Do GPS devices and other gadgets cause driver distraction and accidents on the road? Though there are no firm numbers to show how often navigation systems cause car accidents, they do happen. For example, a driver in Germany obeyed his navigational device and crashed on the Autobahn. The U.K. estimates that 300,000 accidents have occurred because of navigational systems in cars. Automotive Fleet says that nearly 40 percent of accidents in the U.S. are caused by distracted driving. With new gadgets in our cars, how do we prevent distracted driving and still use them to our advantage?

Using Smart Technology the Right Way

If you see a touch-screen display, you automatically want to interact with it. If it’s on your dashboard, you should concentrate more on driving. In reality, having a smart gadget in your car, such as a touch-screen audio player, shouldn’t be any different than having a traditional electronic device. You’ll need to use good judgment and awareness when using any device in your car.
Fortunately for drivers, many of these new gadgets have voice-activated features, allowing you to change the station, dial home or check your email without taking your hands off the wheel. Smart gadgets can enhance our driving experience, but they need to be used responsibly.

Filed Under: blog, Distracted Driving, Safe Driving Tagged With: automobile safety, distracted driving, safe driving, smart gadgets, smart phone, using devices in cars, using phones in cars

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