When it’s Time to Take Away the Car Keys
When a vehicle slammed into a guardrail on I-4, it careened over an underpass, ultimately smashing onto another vehicle below on State Road 46. Fortunately, the woman in the vehicle that was hit survived essentially unscathed, but the same cannot be said for the 91-year-old driving the car that flipped onto SR 46. The tragedy brings a question to mind: when is it time to take the keys away from our beloved elders?
A Tough Problem
Driving provides one a level of independence cherished by many. A request by a concerned family member to turn over the car keys is met with reluctance by some, and full-on resistance by others. At what point should you insist that a parent, grandparent, or other senior citizen give up driving all together?
Clues There May be a Problem
As people age, physical decline, as well as mental regression can contribute to serious problems:
- They may struggle to walk at a normal pace or to lift their feet properly while moving, leading to trips and falls. Oftentimes this coincides with a lack of fluency and speed in moving a foot from the gas pedal to the brake pedal.
- Arthritis and stiffness could make it difficult to turn one’s head and check for traffic.
- Difficulties with vision can make it more challenging to see things in the periphery, to recognize familiar places, and to read road signs. Night vision may decline, as well. Eye diseases including cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma can impact vision, and certain medications can cause problems with vision.
- Hearing problems can make it difficult to hear and respond to train signals, sirens, and horns.
- Medications can cause lightheadedness and/or drowsiness.
- Aging can lead to slower reflexes, weak muscles, and tingling extremities, impacting driving ability.
- Medical conditions like Parkinson’s Disease can cause shaking that makes driving risky.
- Dementia can impact both memory and the ability to make decisions, often causing confusion and even panic on the road.
Determining Ones Skill Behind the Wheel
If you are having difficulty convincing a loved one to stop driving, you should know that a well-known cognition test exists–The Montreal Cognitive Assessment–that can reveal a person’s ability to focus on two things simultaneously in order to solve a simple paper/pencil problem. Another test involves touching a series of flashing lights as a machine flashes them one at a time. It can indicate whether a person struggles with response time and hand-eye coordination. Still another test involves requiring the individual to drive within the lane without crossing over the lines. It can show whether a driver makes a habit of checking their blind spot.
Keep Everyone Safe
An unsafe driver is a danger to himself and others. No one wants to see an accident occur simply because a kindly older individual continued to get behind the wheel long after it was safe to do so. In addition to the harm caused, an accident could lead to a personal injury lawsuit. If you believe age was a factor in an accident and are considering pursuing such a suit, contact the experienced Kissimmee and Orlando personal injury attorneys at Salazar & Kelly Law Group today.
Source:
fox35orlando.com/video/1719708
