Gridlock Guy: Warning signs and tips from an expert, as age impacts driving skills

ATLANTA — Driving ranks right up there with walking in the list of things we take for granted. But wielding a multi-ton missile in an environment full of them takes plenty of mental and physical load. And there is no denying that some abilities can decrease with age. 

But years of driving also bring a built-in advantage.  

Addressing the former takes proactivity from aging drivers and their families alike. Being reactive to changing driving skills puts both the driver and others in traffic at risk. 

The State of Georgia’s Department of Public Health has a dedicated division for drivers aged 55 and over, and the University of Georgia’s Traffic Evaluation and Safety Research team provides experts and oversight on this and many other road issues. 

“Nearly everybody will lose some visual acuity. Nearly everybody will lose some reaction time,” Lisa Ralston, project coordinator for that UGA team, told 11Alive and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “And most people will lose some muscle mass strength and range of motion,” which Ralston said could affect how far someone can turn their head to check a blind spot. 

But a simple loss in vision or motion is not the end of the road for aging drivers, Ralston said. They just need to be in tune with the changes and adjust accordingly. This may include limiting nighttime driving or driving in fast-paced situations. 

Another factor that many drivers may experience (and very few likely consider) is a change in their skin, which makes their ability to navigate touchscreens more difficult. This should be considered when they purchase vehicles. 

Then there are health-related factors, such as diabetes. 

“Diabetes can damage your eyes,” Ralston said. “Diabetic neuropathy, nerve damage, can cause your hands and feet to be less sensitive. And that can lead to things like mistaking the brake and the gas pedal.” 

That confusion has been a recurring issue in wrecks, including a huge one in Catoosa County in January. An 83-year-old woman mixed the pedals and crashed at high speed into six other vehicles at an intersection. Thankfully, everyone survived. 

Cognitive decline happens unevenly, but Ralston said there are surefire signs of it. 

“For a person that’s beginning to have cognitive issues, they may get confused and do something wacky.” Normally, Ralston said, a person who misses a turn would just turn around quickly and backtrack, but someone in mental decline may go way out of their way or get very confused. 

Seniors and their families alike have plenty of tools at their fingertips. On the Georgia DPS site, the 55+ driver program offers conversation tools for relatives and tests for older drivers. AARP also has tools, including a driver safety test that can trigger insurance discounts. Drivers of all ages should visit MyCarDoesWhat.org to learn how the features of their cars work. 

All of this said, older drivers’ years of experience and advanced risk assessment give them a major head start on their younger counterparts. Maturity is best shown by how people plan for adversity. A little bit of proactivity in this arena can go a long way.