As Population Ages, Driving Issues Will Increase

&&&&&EMBEDDED_ELEMENT_START&&&&& {“id”:1420668674468,”originalName”:”2015_03_04_17_02_24_476_http___blogs_cars_com__a_6a00d83451b3c669e20134803de2ff970c_800wi”,”name”:”MMS ID 49124 (created by CM Utility)”,”URI”:”/93/-2022087585-1425510144993.”,”createDate”:”2015-03-04 05:02:25″,”metadata”:{“AUTHOR”:”automatic-content-migration”,”KEYWORDS”:””},”href”:”https://www.cstatic-images.com/stock/1170×1170/93/-2022087585-1425510144993.”,”description”:”Came from http://blogs.cars.com/.a/6a00d83451b3c669e20134803de2ff970c-800wi”,”externalid”:”49124″,”updatedby”:”cmuadmin”,”updateddate”:1425511474940,”associations”:{}} &&&&&EMBEDDED_ELEMENT_END&&&&&

We already know that baby boomers could destroy Social Security and Medicare as they rapidly age the U.S. population in the next 40 years, but this will also mean more elderly drivers on the roads.

This can be quite a tricky subject because the abilities of elderly drivers constitute such a wide range. Some can drive fine well into their 80s (and probably a lot better than their teenage counterparts), but others who suffer from ailments, take medication or have physical or mental conditions could pose a danger to themselves and other drivers.

Knowing when it’s time to put down the keys can be a difficult subject to broach with a parent or grandparent, but knowing when that time has come and what alternatives exist will be key for families tackling this issue.

There are several great resources that can help people reach their own decisions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety keeps statistics and answers questions on elderly drivers. The National Center on Senior Transportation, AAA and AARP have resources that can help families and individuals deal with the transition or decide when it’s time to make that choice.

On the state level, motor vehicle departments are looking for ways to aid public safety. Some of these methods include restricted licensing, in-person renewals and even some kinds of retesting. These methods will certainly not come without controversy, though, as people will no doubt fight to hold onto a privilege like driving, which they’ve enjoyed most of their lives.

Older Population = Older Drivers (Consumer Reports)