Are You Still a Good Driver or Putting Yourself in Danger?
The moment we earn our license is a liberating experience—the world is our oyster, full of new adventures, independence, and incredible convenience. But as we develop muscle stiffness or hearing loss, that everyday activity can become life-threatening. Here are 20 signs it’s time to hang up your car keys.
1. Aging Muscles
We’ve all woken up on the wrong side of the bed, but there’s a difference between temporary muscle pain and constant aches. Stiff muscles make it hard to handle everyday driving tasks such as checking your blind spot, using the pedals, or even working the wheel.
2. Lane Straddling
Cognitive decline looks different for everyone, however, certain symptoms are common across the board. For example, aging motorists have a harder time staying in their lane and tend to drift in and out, resulting in an angry honk at best and a serious accident at worst.
3. Difficulty Hearing
Good drivers already know the importance of keeping an ear out; they keep music at an appropriate level and won’t do anything dangerous like use their phone or wear headphones. Older drivers, on the other hand, can’t help weakened hearing. Difficulty hearing makes it harder to notice mechanical issues and puts everyone in danger if you miss a siren or horn.
4. Difficulty Seeing
Good hearing is just as important as proper sight, so pay attention to your vision. Anything from glaucoma to cataracts can impair vision, leaving you in serious danger on the road. It’s easier to miss objects (including pedestrians), you may struggle to see speed limits, and will have an even harder time driving at night.
5. Confusion on the Road
It’s one thing to make a wrong turn. It’s another to forget where you are completely. Confused drivers may lose track of where they’re headed or what they’re doing, which not only makes driving dangerous but also way more stressful.
6. Becoming Forgetful
To make matters worse, confusion stretches inside the vehicle as well. Some motorists may forget which pedal does what, won’t check their mirrors, or get lost more often. It goes without saying that adhering to basic driving rules keeps everyone safe—including you—so it might be time to hang up the keys if you can’t keep up.
7. Others Honk Their Horns…a Lot
It’s hard to gauge our own habits. Luckily, other drivers aren’t shy about reminding you. If you notice more honking than usual, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on who the real culprit actually is.
8. Slower Reaction Times
Today’s vehicles come with all sorts of bells and whistles to keep everyone safe—but they’re not meant to replace driving altogether. Motorists need proper reaction time to stay vigilant on the road. Aching muscles and poor memory only make it harder.
9. Poor Driving Techniques
We’ve all developed a bad habit or two in our time on the road. However, older drivers take it a step further. They’ll white knuckle the wheel, drive way too slowly, roll through stop signs…the list goes on. Paired with cognitive decline, poor driving techniques only make the road more dangerous.
10. People are Worried in the Car
Have people stopped accepting rides from you? Has anyone gently approached you to talk about your driving? These are two glaring signs that it might be time to sit down and rethink how often you hit the road—if at all.
11. Fresh Scrapes on the Car
Older drivers may experience more dings and scrapes on their cars, especially as their response time dwindles. When you start to bump the curb or hit the odd mailbox, it’s likely time to stay off the road.
12. More and More Tickets
Not everyone will be as understanding as your family. Police officers and insurance carriers are often quick to swing the gavel and slap you with a ticket, higher fees, or warnings about shoddy driving. If you notice that ticket pile climbing higher, sit down and think about your future on the road.
13. They Don’t Drive at Night
Some people find comfort on the open road at night. Others are warier, but keep their wits about them. Some older drivers, on the other hand, can't handle it at all. You can’t always get off the road when the sun goes down, leaving you and others at a greater risk of injury.
14. Failing to Signal
This is a big one and it’s common with older drivers. As we age, we can forget basic driving skills like turn signals or stopping fully at stop signs. Little slips like this make it more dangerous for everyone on the road, and often indicate which drivers ought to throw in the towel.
15. New Medication
As critical as medication is, it can also come with serious side effects that hinder your ability to drive. Some might make you groggy. Others even come with their own warning about driving if you take them. Keep off the road if you notice any problems or were warned against it by physicians.
16. Trouble Focusing
Even if we don’t like to admit it—our minds can wander on the road. Cognitive distraction is dangerous enough, but when you throw aging cognition on top of that? It’s only scarier for everyone on the road.
17. Serious Medical Diagnoses
Medical diagnoses like Parkinson’s disease or strokes can prevent older motorists from getting behind the wheel. If your doctor advises you to stay off the road, it’s best for everyone that you listen. The most important thing is that you get better and stay safe.
Martha Dominguez de Gouveia on Unsplash
18. Too Many Close Calls
Between new medication and aging response times, older motorists may also experience more close calls. Whether it’s nearly hitting another vehicle or not stopping in time for a red light, drivers need to focus on how many “close calls” they actually experience. Don’t fluff them off—one too many is a serious problem.
19. Can’t Handle the Basics
We’ve all complained about student drivers before, but aging motorists are just as likely to break basic rules. When you can no longer follow simple guidelines like signaling or driving at appropriate speeds, you might need to keep off the road.
20. Stressed When Driving
It’s easy to see how older drivers can get stressed behind the wheel. They may have a harder time seeing. They may get more tickets or experience higher premiums. People are honking. When driving stops being a fun, freeing activity, it’s time to rethink your hobbies.
