Adults 65 years and older have a lot of driving experience and are usually safe drivers. As you age, you're more likely to get seriously hurt if you are in an accident. Learn how aging can affect driving, and what you can do to stay safe on the road.
Things That Affect Your Driving as You Age
- Health conditions and chronic diseases
- Physical and sensory changes as we age
- Cognitive changes
- Taking multiple medications
- Confusion and difficulty expressing yourself following a car crash
Steps to Stay Safe
Talk to your doctor
- Ask about how your health and medical conditions may change over time and how it can affect your driving.
- Review medications with your doctor. Discuss side effects and medication interactions that impact alertness or coordination.
Know when not to drive
- Avoid driving if you feel dizzy, drowsy, or unusually tired.
- Use other transportation if it becomes unsafe for you to drive.