Your ability to drive may be impaired by such age related changes as:

• increased sensitivity to glare
• poorer adaptation to the dark
• diminished coordination
• slower reaction time
• physical changes in your hearing and eyesight and other sensory impairments
• denial of illness that can translate into fender benders and catastrophes

Here are some helpful hints that can aid you in making the right decisions:

• CHANGE YOUR DRIVING HABITS - if you are at all uneasy on the road, think about changing how, when and where you drive. Try driving fewer kilometers, less often and more slowly. Plan your trips more carefully by planning ahead. Drive less at night, during rush hours and in the winter.
• CONSIDER A REFRESHER COURSE - in many communities there are organizations offering driver education courses for older people. These programs are designed to help seniors improve their driving skills.
• WEAR YOUR SEATBELT - Wearing your seatbelt could help prevent crippling injury or even death. Older drivers are more likely to be killed or injured in a traffic accident due to more fragile bones and the reduced ability to withstand trauma. Seatbelts distribute the full force of the impact across the strongest part of the body, helping to prevent you from hitting the steering wheel, the windows, or the dash. They will also keep you from being thrown from your vehicle. Avoid excessive slack in the seatbelt and position it over the shoulder, across the chest, and low on the lap. Remember - wearing a seatbelt is not a matter of choice, it's the law.
• CHECK YOUR EYESIGHT AND HEARING - Physical changes in eyesight and hearing occur as we get older and they can have an effect on our driving ability. Over one third of all older persons experience hearing loss that will make it more difficult to hear in busy traffic. Many different visual problems can also occur such as:
  
  
  • You may become more sensitive to glare and adapt more slowly to darkness.
  • You may have more difficulty changing focus from distant to near objects.
  • You may need more light to see well.
  • Your reaction time will slow.
  • Your peripheral vision may diminish.
  • Your ability to accurately distinguish colour may also diminish.
  • You may experience a decrease in sharpness of vision under certain lighting conditions.


• DRUGS AND DRIVING - Many drugs can influence your driving vision. These include prescription cold and sinus remedies, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, sedatives and pain killers. Even Aspirin, when used extensively, can adversely influence vision. Whatever the drug, know its side effects before getting behind the wheel.

• Have proper glasses for day and night driving.
• In sunlight, wear good quality sunglasses.
• Avoid driving at dusk or at night.
• Keep your glasses clean.
• Avoid frames with large temple pieces, as they can block side vision.
• Get the big picture when driving. Watch the road ahead, and check either side for vehicles, children, animals or hazards. Keep your head and eyes moving. Glance frequently into the rear view mirror and onto the instrument panel.
• Keep pace with the average traffic flow.
• Choose a car with a clear windshield. A tinted windshield can reduce the amount of light entering the eye. It is better to have a clear windshield and wear a good pair of sunglasses in the bright sunlight.
• Keep headlights properly adjusted.
• Keep headlights, taillights, side windows and windshields clean.

Contributed by Carlos Zavarse, VIPP Team member, 1997.