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Yes, if you're going to be
a safe driver you need all your mental faculties
operating at full capacity. "Is he still driving?" is
one of the first questions people ask when inquiring
about someone with Alzheimer's Disease or another
dementia.
What we tend to forget, and a lot of older drivers would
prefer to forget, is that driving demands a contribution
from the whole body, not just the brain.
Hearing: If a driver can't hear a train whistle,
emergency sirens, or the 18-wheeler coming up on the
right he or she is in danger, and dangerous, unless good
alternative coping strategies are used. Deaf and
hearing-impaired individuals can and do drive safely
every day. They do so because they acknowledge that they
do not hear well. They use their mirrors constantly and
drive defensively.
If you know someone who doesn't hear well and refuses to
admit it, you may be looking at a dangerous driver.
Vision: Not being able to see at all is obvious. People
with glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration,
excessive tearing, lack of depth perception and other
vision disabilities also must be aware of their
limitations and cease driving probably earlier than they
would like. There just aren't as many safe "coping
mechanisms" for poor vision as there are for hearing
loss. When in doubt insist on a vision test
by a competent professional who will "tell it like it
is." The vision test at the DMV is often too easy to
pass and the clerks are often just a bit too helpful.
Joint Disorders: Arthritis and other joint problems
limit mobility. If a driver can't look quickly over her
shoulder she's liable to pull in front of someone in the
next lane. If he can't move his legs and feet quickly he
will be too slow on the brake. If he can't feel his feet
(neuropathy and other disorders) he may not be able to
distinguish the gas pedal from the brake.
This brings us to... Mobility Disorders: Parkinson's
Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy...the
list is long. All of these conditions retard movement,
which makes for potentially very dangerous driving.
Eventually they will also slow thinking, with possibly
harmful or fatal results.
If a driver uses a walker or a cane to get to and from
the car be especially alert for movement problems inside
the car. Not everyone who uses a walker is a bad driver,
but far too many are.
Make it a practice to ride fairly regularly with anyone
you have concerns about. Does she drive too slowly? Does
she tend to miss stop signs and not see bicyclists in
the right lane? Does he begin slowing in anticipation of
slowing traffic or a stop ahead, or does he slam on the
brakes at the last moment? Does he get confused
if he comes on a construction zone that requires taking
a detour? Does she always turn and look before she backs
out of her parking space?
And here's the acid test: Would you be perfectly
comfortable allowing this driver to take your own
precious small child out alone in the car? If the answer
is "No," or even "I'm not so sure," then it's probably
past time to take steps. |
