Do you know someone that is getting older and is still driving?  If so, you might be worried about whether or not he or she should still be getting behind the driver’s wheel.  In order to determine if your loved one should still be driving, there are many different things you should take under consideration.

Considering Physical Abilities

One of the first things you should consider when trying to determine if your loved one should still be on the road is whether or not he or she suffers from physical disabilities that can make driving dangerous.  For example, if your loved one is hard of hearing or has vision problems, driving may be dangerous for your loved one as well as for other people on the road.  Many states perform tests in order to better determine if a driver is still capable of driving.  These tests may include eye tests as well as driving tests during which the elderly individual must demonstrate his or her driving abilities.

Taking a Look at Mental Capacity

As people grow older, they may also develop memory problems.  These problems may be as serious as Alzheimer’s diseases or the person may simply have a difficult time remaining focused.  In either case, loss of memory capacity can be quite serious when on the road.  If you feel your loved one is having a difficult time focusing or may get lost or otherwise cause problems on the road, it may be time to try to get him or her to stop driving.

Looking at Insurance Costs

Insurance costs can be another reason for an elderly person to stop driving.  Even if your elderly loved one is still able to drive without a problem, the increase in insurance cost can pose a problem – particularly since elderly people are typically on a fixed income and cannot afford to pay for an increase in rates.

The reality is that insurance rates typically start going up once a person reaches the age of 60.  This is because research has shown that while the frequency of accidents among drivers between the ages of 25 and 64 typically remain relatively constant, drivers older than 70 quickly start having accidents more frequently.  By the time the person reaches 80, the rate of accidents takes another leap in frequency.  In fact, people over the age of 85 are 11 times more likely to get killed in a car accident than people in any other age group.

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