One day, we will all reach a crossroads that requires us to consider our capacity for driving. Now’s the time to expect, understand, and celebrate this important rite of passage so we can keep cruising through the best years of our lives!
First, it’s important to accept the fact that driving becomes more dangerous as we age. In Honest Aging: An Insider’s Guide to the Second Half of Life by Rosanne M. Leipzig, MD Ph. D, she said drivers 85 and older have the highest rates of fatal accidents per mile driven, with the rate for drivers 80-84 years old is similar to that of teenagers. The first step we can all take now is to print, read, and sign a driving contract. AAA has a Drivers Planning Agreement online that includes easy-to-understand tenets of safe driving standards and contingencies. The Alzheimer’s Association also warehouses a similar driver’s contract on its website. Another option is pledging to self regulate your driving or help a senior friend figure it out.
Technology is our friend! Ride-hailing apps like Uber, Lyft and Go-Go Grandparent and other taxi or limousine calling services are the new norm. Do some research now on your options and start using them now before you must.
Spend time familiarizing yourself with public transportation options in your community. Make sure you know where nearby bus routes are located, and what routes will take you to the places you go most often. If you live in a senior living community, understand what shuttle options are available to you and where they go and when.
The most serious consideration you can make, however, is where you will live. You may be thinking about moving to a retirement village or senior housing community, living in a smaller house that has been designed with aging-in-place resources, choosing a multifamily home, or moving in with friends or family. Whatever your plan is, don’t forget to factor in walkability, public transportation and proximity to commercial centers.
Retirement from driving does not have to wreck your life. With a little expectation, understanding and celebration, we can move through this intersection with confidence, knowing we are well prepared to handle the road ahead.
