3 Signs That Your Elderly Loved One Shouldn’t Be Driving Anymore

While driving is a big part of many adult’s lives, once you reach a certain age or start to have health problems that make it so driving isn’t wise for you anymore, it can be very hard to give up this sense of freedom. And many times, people don’t recognize this themselves. Rather, their friends, loved ones, or doctors have to be the ones to tell them that driving isn’t a great idea for them anymore.

To help you know when this time has come for someone in your life, here are three signs that your elderly loved one shouldn’t be driving anymore.

You Wouldn’t Let Them Drive Your Kids Around Anymore

One of the very first signs that you may have started to not trust your loved one behind the wheel anymore is if you start feeling like you wouldn’t want them to drive your kids around.

Even if you don’t actually have any kids, if you feel the sentiment that you wouldn’t want to have someone you love in the car with your elderly loved one while they’re driving, for whatever reason, it’s probably time to talk to your loved one about hanging up their keys and finding other options for their transportation. 

Their Eyesight Has Deteriorated

There are small parts of a person’s health that can start to go downhill well before their overall health would lead them to have to seek additional medical help or assisted living care. One of these small things that could make it dangerous for your loved one to be driving anymore is if their eyesight has started to deteriorate.

To tell this as an outsider, pay attention to if your loved one has started straining to see things, either things that are close up or things that are far away. If they mention that they can’t read or see things clearly that they once could, this could be a sign that it’s time for them to stop driving themselves around anymore.  

A Loss In Cognitive Abilities

While this is something that’s easy to overlook or not notice as someone who only sees their loved one occasionally, if you’ve noticed any kind of decrease in your loved ones’ cognitive abilities, it’s wise to have them stop getting behind the wheel.

Some of the signs of a dip in cognitive abilities that could affect your loved one’s abilities to be a safe and responsible driver could include having delays in their response to external stimuli, becoming easily distracted, or becoming more and more forgetful. 

If you have a loved one that’s getting older and you’re wondering whether or not they should still be driving, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you assist them in making this determination.