safety tips for older drivers

Safety Tips For Older Drivers

I got my driver's license in the early seventies, which means that I have been

driving for over forty years.

Today I need glasses to read, but not to drive.

During the day I simply wear sunglasses and make sure that my windshield is

relatively clean.

Thankfully, my night vision is good also.

But this is not true for all drivers my age.

There are many drivers my age whose vision has become a problem for them while

driving.

Some must wear corrective lenses while driving and others have difficulty seeing well

at night.

Needless to say, without taking the proper steps to address these issues, these older drivers can be a safety hazard to not only themselves, but to other drivers on the

roadway as well.

NTSA Safety Tips For Older

Drivers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is dedicated to the safety of

all drivers on the road and offers the following suggestions for older drivers to

help to make their travels as safe as possible:

The first suggestion is common sense and that is to make sure to have your eyes

checked with enough regularity that if you need a change in the lense of your glasses

that it is done as needed.

Next, now that your prescription is up to date, make sure that you are indeed wearing

your glasses or contacts as you drive.

As a side note, when you choose the frames for the glasses that you are going to be

wearing as you drive, make sure that the frame itself does not become a hindrance to

your being able to see the driving environment around you.

A thick frame can create a significant blind spot that could cause you to be unable to see

other vehicles and pedestrians around you.

Another danger of aging and driving is a change in posture that can affect your ability to see the driving environment around you.

If need be, adjust your seat higher, or possibly place a cushion on your seat so that you are sitting up high enough to clearly see

the roadway ahead of you.

If you do have a night vision problem, you may want to consider whether it is in your best interest to have your side windows tinted as this could make it even more

difficult for you to safely see through these windows after dark.

As I mentioned previously, I make it a point to at least keep my windshield relatively

clean.

Doing this for all your windows is important.

The same goes for your headlights.

The simple solution here is to simply take you car to the car wash and get everything

cleaned at once.

I prefer the full service car washes that clean the interior of my car at the same time.

Most Older Drivers Are Safe Drivers

In conclusion, I, as many drivers my age, consider myself to be a very safe driver.

However, having said that, older drivers need to be honest with themselves and make

adjustments or take whatever precautions are reasonable so that they can remain safe

while behind the wheel.