It’s difficult to know if a loved one can still drive safely. You may worry about their abilities declining as they get older, but they may feel that they can still drive without any major issues. They may also not want to lose their independence. It’s tough to give that up, and they may try to ignore their own safety issues or even try to hide them.
To help you decide if it’s time to take action, here are some questions you can ask:
- Do they ever lose their way while driving somewhere that they should know how to navigate successfully, such as driving home from the store?
- Have they been getting more traffic tickets for simple mistakes that they did not make in the past?
- Have they had any near misses where they felt like they were lucky not to get into an accident?
- Have they gotten into some minor accidents, such as fender-benders or accidents while parking?
- Are they taking any new medications, which, while they may need them, will impact their ability to drive safely?
- Do they have any physical disabilities, mental disabilities or illnesses that could have a negative impact on driving?
- When you ride with them, do they ever seem like it’s overwhelming or like they get easily confused?
- What does their doctor have to say about their driving abilities and how safe they are?
These answers may help you protect your own loved ones, but the reality is that people do sometimes drive past the point where they are safe. If you get injured in an accident caused by one of these drivers, make sure you know how to seek financial compensation.
