Driving is a huge privilege and an activity that many people look forward to beginning as teenagers and continuing until well until their golden years. However, sometimes it is necessary for people to give up driving when things such as their vision and reaction times begin to decline. Giving up driving is a difficult decision and one that family members should make with thought, care and consideration for the safety of everyone on the road.
Here are a couple of signs that it might be time to take the car keys away from your older loved one in Massachusetts.
They get lost easily
Getting lost in locations where one should otherwise know their way around can be a symptom of a cognitive illness such as Alzheimer’s disease. If your older friend or relative begins to get lost frequently when they are out driving, it could be a sign that they should begin leaving the navigating to someone else before putting themselves in a potentially perilous situation.
Their responses are slower than usual
Drivers of any age can become distracted and experience slower-than-usual response times. However, if this happens consistently to an older relative, it might mean that you need to have a discussion with them regarding their driver’s license. Some examples of having a slower response time include not stopping for yellow or red lights and failing to speed up appropriately when merging into traffic.
By recognizing the signs that it might not be safe for your older friend or relative to drive anymore, you help keep everyone protected on Massachusetts roads.
