On average, people lose their ability to drive safely seven to 10 years before they die.
That means everyone should create a driving retirement plan and add it to all those other documents people are encouraged to prepare as they age, such as powers of attorney, living wills, etc.
Terri Cassidy, who has become one of those go-to people in the Pikes Peak region when people start talking about older drivers, would love safe driving to become an engrained part of the aging conversation.
“We need to normalize talking about driving abilities,” said Cassidy, an occupational therapist who owns Fitness to Drive. “In the past it was considered a family issue, but it’s a societal issue, a public safety issue.”
The ability to drive is tightly attached to personal independence, and that is a scary thing to think about losing. Cassidy believes that confronting those fears early, which means having conversations with doctors, family members and maybe a driving evaluator, can make it easier for seniors to transition from driving to not driving.
It does not have to be an instant, all or nothing transition. Many seniors stop driving at night or on high-volume, high-speed highways, but can still safely drive to the grocery store, church or to a friend’s house.
Whatever the case, Cassidy warns to avoid arguments. Start the conversation, and if gets heated try again another time. Use some of the resources available online to keep communications open.
With every bit of advice though, comes this caveat: There is no specific age at which people become less skilled at driving. That’s because the reasons for declines in ability are varied. Maybe you’re sidelined, even temporarily, by a medical issue. Maybe you don’t see well at night. Maybe your cognitive abilities are declining.
By 2030, an estimated 70 million people in the United States will be age 65 or older, and up to 90% of them will hold driver’s licenses, according to AAA Exchange. The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles does not keep statistics on the number of older license holders.
The Exchange also reports: As a class, senior drivers are among the safest. They are less likely to speed or engage in other risky behaviors and are more likely to wear their seat belts. On the flip side, they’re more likely to be injured or killed in a crash because of age-related frailty. After teenagers, seniors have the highest crash death rate per mile driven.
Cassidy said a driving evaluation can help seniors learn where and when they can safely drive. There also are numerous self-evaluation tips online through organizations such as DriveSmart, AARP, AAA and The Hartford.
The Hartford published a 17-page booklet called, We Need to Talk, aimed at helping families have conversations about safe driving. The booklet is available online for downloading at https://hig-res.cloudinary.com/image/upload/we_need_to_talk.pdf
AARP has a 60-minute online seminar that involves a series of slides and some exercises. It’s available at https://www.aarp.org/auto/driver-safety/we-need-to-talk. It requires you to register if you don’t have an AARP login, but it’s free.
Family members are usually nervous about bringing up an elder’s driving habits and don’t want to be the one who “took away the keys.” But sometimes it is necessary, particularly with dementia. While seniors in early stages of dementia may be able to drive safely, they generally will not recognize when they are no longer safe on the road.
Cassidy recommends getting their doctor involved if you haven’t already. Any request to have a license revoked, if it comes to that, must go through a doctor. The state has no data on age-related revocation requests, according to a DMV spokesperson.
But it does have data from Jan. 1, 2018, to July 31, 2025, on the number of people who trade in their driver’s license for a state identification card: 6,281 customers between the ages of 60 and 102 downgraded their licenses. That service is free and can be done online or at any DMV office.
Here are some tips for people to start planning their driving retirement, and for family members to watch for if they are worried about their loved ones behind the wheel:
- Am I anxious when I’m driving on a highway? Do I feel more confident driving close to home?
- Do I get lost when I’m driving? If so, how do I react – do I stop and figure out where I am or put on navigation, or do I end up somewhere far from home?
- I have trouble reading signs quickly enough.
- The glare of oncoming headlights bothers me.
- Other drivers seem to honk at me a lot.
- What are my transportation options if I can no longer drive?
- Does my community have a senior transit service? Where does it go?
- If I get a driving evaluation will my family quit telling me I should stop driving? (Maybe. If you think you’re still driving safely, an evaluation will either prove you’re right – or not. Most often, it might lead to some restrictions but won’t curtail your driving altogether.)
- Family members can offer to pay for an evaluation (Medicare does not cover them, so generally other insurance also does not; there may be low-cost evaluations through some senior agencies.)
- Are unexplained dings and scratches showing up on a senior driver’s vehicle?
Researched and written by Sue McMillin