Older Driver Safety Awareness and when to give up the keys

The increase in older drivers on the road has led to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Aging and Insurance to increase their efforts to improve safe driving among seniors.

This week is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, so it only seems fitting to discuss what Pennsylvania is doing to address issues specifically facing older drivers.

The organization is raising awareness to the risks older drivers face on the road, and the importance of recognizing when it’s time to stop driving. Specifically, Pennsylvania’s DOT said they want older individuals and their families to have an honest conversation about when it is time to stop driving.

This week the departments are raising awareness to the changes in physical and cognitive skills in seniors and how these changes can impact driving abilities. They are also raising awareness to community programs that will support seniors and provide safe transportation for seniors who no longer drive. 

PennDOT has several programs for senior drivers, including a program that assesses a person’s driving abilities and provides a one-time free identification card for individuals who voluntarily stop driving due to medical reasons.

It is important for older drivers and families to think about when it is time to hand over the keys. This can be a difficult conversation, but it’s an important one to have. You do not want to wait until an accident happens. Instead, starting talking about it now so everyone is on the same page and more aware of when it may be time to stop driving.