AAA Colorado

Reader Service
Free Travel Info

Colorado Calendar

EnCompass^® Wherever You Want to Go

November \| December 2003 Volume 77 Issue 6

AAA Commentary

Driving Tips for Mature Operators

As we age, our bodies and minds change, and our ability to safely operate a vehicle can be affected by those changes. The physical and mental processes that affect driving skills can start long before a driver falls into the "mature" operator category, age 50 and older.

If we understand that physical and mental changes are inevitable, we can make adjustments in the way we drive, when we drive, and how we drive. Besides the obvious of having your eyes checked every year, here are a few suggestions to help mature drivers remain safe drivers:

Know your route — When drivers are familiar with the route it is easier to react properly to traffic conditions, traffic signs, and signals. Routes that reduce the number of left turns are safer. Left-turn intersections with no traffic signal are potential hazards. These intersections require the driver to cross one or more lanes of traffic and to accurately judge the speed and rate-of-closure of other vehicles.

Combine trips-Delay single-purpose trips until you have more than one destination. Combining trips places you in traffic less and reduces the number of miles driven.

Choose your driving times — Plan your trips to avoid morning and evening rush hours. Night driving presents greater challenges, so most trips should be made during daylight hours. Since mature operators tire faster, avoid long road trips that cause fatigue, or break up your trip with frequent rest stops and stop early for the night.

Be careful in parking lots — Parking lots challenge most drivers because of the number of vehicles, their close proximity and pedestrians. When parking, pull through to the next space whenever possible to avoid having to back out when you leave. Backing requires a number of head and eye movements, which can be difficult. While some mature drivers require handicap parking, the spaces are not always available. In many cases, there may be parking spots on the side of a business that are just as convenient.

Driving while using medication — Mature operators must know the possible effects that prescribed medications have on their driving ability. In some cases, the driver may be using more than one prescription at a time. Individually, the drugs may not affect the driver, but ask the doctor about the effect when combining prescriptions before getting behind the wheel.

Environmental factors — Avoid ad verse weather conditions that increase the chances of becoming involved in an accident, especially low-visibility conditions such as fog, smoke, rain, glare and snow.

Maintain and know your vehicle — Vehicle maintenance is essential to safe driving. Because mature operators, on average, take a greater amount of time to react in an emergency situation, it is even more important to schedule regular maintenance checkups to ensure their cars run at their peak.

Think about your alternatives — Such alternatives may include taking a different route to your destination, changing the time you leave, waiting until bad weather clears, or having someone else drive. When we make simple adjustments in the way we drive, when we drive, and how we drive, we can stay safely on the road.

»Return to Contents