When it comes to driving, you might need to be on the lookout for some subtle signs that your senior isn’t driving as well as she once did. You may have to step in if you notice something dangerous is happening with your senior’s driving.
Her Attitude about Driving Has Changed
If your elderly family member has always been pretty secure about driving, check in with her now about how she’s feeling. Ideally, she’s still feeling confident and that’s a great sign. But if she’s nervous or distracted about driving, that might mean that she’s feeling as if her abilities just aren’t there anymore. She might experience insecurities around driving only in certain situations, like when it’s raining, or she could be experiencing those feelings more often.
She’s Not Following Basic Safety Rules
Basic safety is part of driving for every single person who drives. If you’re noticing that your elderly family member isn’t engaging in these basic safety tasks, like checking her mirrors or ensuring her seatbelt is fastened before she starts moving, that might be a sign of trouble. The basic safety rules are considered basic because they’re the foundation for everything else.
She’s Ignoring Traffic Laws
Like the safety rules, traffic laws are something your senior really can’t be ignoring. If she’s speeding or engaging in other illegal actions behind the wheel, that’s something she could be ticketed for doing. More importantly, those actions might be extremely dangerous for her. She’s more likely to get into an accident if she’s speeding or running yellow lights than if she’s studiously following traffic regulations.
Her Car Is Screaming for Help
Your senior’s car might tell you the most about what’s going on, though. Make it a habit to take a walk around the exterior of the car on a regular basis. You’re looking for dents, scratches, or other marks that might point to your senior’s car coming in contact with something else. But it’s not just the exterior you need to pay attention to. The dashboard lights can let you know if your senior’s been neglecting any vehicle maintenance that needs to be corrected.
Talk to your senior about driving. It’s a tough conversation, but it’s a necessary one. It might be time for her to leave the driving to someone else, like home care services providers. Home care services providers can ensure that she’s able to go wherever she wants and that she does so safely.