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Older drivers are holding onto their licenses longer and relying less on others to drive them.  Here is a Top Ten List of Facts you should know.  Understanding this information can help you or someone you love remain in the driver’s seat years longer.

1. Elderly drivers have higher crash rates (mile-for-mile) than all other drivers, except teenagers.
2. Seniors are also more likely than younger drivers to die in car accidents.
3. Items #1 and #2 can be avoided.  Between 1996 and 2008, seniors 75 and older showed declines of 45% or more in fatal accidents.   This decline was greater than for any other age group.
4. Left turns are a leading cause of accidents with older drivers.  They spend much more time looking straight ahead than scanning left and right because they are intensely focused on not hitting anything directly in front of the car.  Scanning deficiencies are caused by bad habits more than by physical aging.
5. An occupational therapist can help compensate for impairments with skills assessment and behind the wheel coaching.
6. Training dramatically improves driving results when drivers are filmed as they drive and receive training that includes review of the video.  When drivers are only given instruction verbally there is little improvement.
7. Reducing miles-driven to 100 – 200 miles a week allows for independence but lower risk.
8. Older drivers have a better driving record with a small or medium-sized car.
9. Planning ahead while the family is not in crisis is the best way to address the issue of driving.
10. Families should enlist a 3rd party expert, such as a doctor, to communicate when it is time to stop driving.