Warning Signs That Your Elderly Parent Should Not Drive
Driving is a big part of human independence; particularly when we live in the suburbs or a town like Bellingham that doesn’t have 24-hour public transportation. As we age, seniors tend to want to retain the independence that comes with driving – not always recognizing when they should not drive anymore. Unfortunately, the risk of being injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident increases as we age. According to cdc.gov, about 8,000 older adults (aged 65+) were killed in traffic accidents and more than 250,000 were treated in emergency departments for crash-related injuries in 2019.
We know that as we age we go through physical changes that decrease our vision and cognitive abilities but that doesn’t mean that we immediately lose the ability to drive safely. How do we know when our aging parents should not drive anymore? There are some warning signs to look out for.
Warning Signs That Your Elderly Parent Should Not Drive
Even if we were in the car with our elderly parents every time they got behind the wheel, the line between a parent being safe and unsafe to drive may not be clear cut. That’s why it’s important to seek the help of your parent’s doctors if you are concerned about their ability to drive safely. If you have specific concerns about your parent’s vision, reflexes, or cognitive decline; ask your parent if you can attend a few medical appointments with them.
Nobody wants to get a call that their elderly parent has been injured in an accident or that they injured someone else. According to caring.com, there are several warning signs to look out for that may be an indication that it is not safe for your parent to drive anymore:
- Your parent mentions that their insurance has increased or that they have been getting traffic tickets
If your parent’s insurance rate has recently increased due to an at-fault traffic accident or multiple traffic tickets, that can be a warning sign that they may not be safe on the road.
- Dings or scrapes to their vehicle
If you notice new scrapes or dings on your parent’s vehicle and they don’t seem to know what caused them, that could be a sign that they shouldn’t be behind the wheel.
- No longer wants to drive
If a parent tells you that they don’t want to drive at night or for long distances or they start turning down invitations to get togethers, it may be a sign that they don’t feel safe driving anymore.
- You or others don’t feel safe driving with your parent
If you or others no longer feel safe while driving with a parent, that could be a sign that their driving abilities are declining.
- Observe a change in driving behaviors
If your parent’s driving behaviors have changed it is worth taking note.
- Did they go from being confident to nervous behind the wheel?
- Do they look uncomfortable while driving?
- Do they sometimes miss traffic signals or pedestrians trying to cross the road?
- Are they suddenly engaging in unsafe driving behaviors like tailgating?
- Are they struggling to find locations that they used to be able to get to?
Seek the help of a car accident attorney
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
