Your Family :: Warning Signs of Unsafe Driving
If you fear that the senior in your life may be a hazard on the road, encourage him or her to take the Self-Assessment Test. You may also assess their driving by reviewing the following warning signs of hazardous drivers:
- Diminished eyesight
- Suffered stroke or heart attack
- Difficulty negotiating sharp turns and intersections
- Hesitation over right-of-way decisions
- Becoming lost on familiar routes
- Feeling nervous or exhausted after driving
- Receiving traffic violations or found at-fault in crashes
- Neglecting to buckle the seat belt
- Difficulty moving foot between pedals
- Difficulty merging onto freeways or turning onto busy streets
- Relying only on mirrors rather than turning fully to check blind spots
- Missing stop signs and traffic signals
- Frequently weaving, straddling, and drifting into other lanes without signaling
- Attempting to turn from the wrong lane
- Receiving frequent honks from other motorists
- Finding scrapes and dents on vehicles, mailboxes, and other stationary objects
These are just a few of the many warning signs of unsafe driving. If you still feel the senior may present a hazard on the road, it may be time for the senior driver to give up the keys. This can be a very difficult call for you to make, especially if the senior is a parent or other close figure used to having their independence. What you must keep in mind is that their safety and the safety of others must come first. Please read the following suggestions on how to be a concerned, involved, and supportive family member.
