From Dec. 1 – 5, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) is promoting Older Driver Safety Awareness Week to help reduce traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving older drivers across Tennessee roadways. The THSO is offering safe driving tips to help educate older drivers and their families about the heighten risks as drivers age.

“Although older drivers are the most experienced drivers, they are also highly vulnerable to the risks of the roadway,” said THSO Director Buddy Lewis. “As we age, we all can experience changes that affect our driving capabilities and confidence behind the wheel. The THSO is working to help protect older drivers by helping spread awareness.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic crashes are more harmful for older adults because they are more susceptible to injury and have an increased risk of fatality due to age-related fragility and medical complications. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drivers aged 70 and older have higher crash death rates per 1,000 crashes compared to middle-aged drivers, which is primarily attributed to this increased vulnerability to injury rather than an increased tendency to get into crashes. This means older adults are more likely to die in traffic crashes that younger individuals might survive. 

“There are many challenges faced by older drivers as they age,” said Martha Pack, Occupational Therapist and Driving Rehabilitation Specialist in Tennessee. “Changes in vision, physical fitness, and reflexes may cause safety concerns, as well as medical conditions and medication side effects. By monitoring age-related changes, drivers can adjust their driving habits to remain safe on the road or choose alternative transportation.”

Here are a few tips for older driver safety:

• Make sure you understand how medical conditions can affect your ability to drive safely. For example, some medications and side effects cause drowsiness, a form of impaired driving. Do not drive on medications saying it’s unsafe to take the medication while operating heavy machinery. 
• Be aware of changes in driving behaviors: slower reflexes, getting lost, dings on the vehicle, fear of driving, and other challenges caused by decline in vision, cognitive abilities, and/or physical abilities.
• Older drivers should stay up to date on annual vision exams and other medical check-ups. Some adjustments may be required to ensure safe driving capabilities.

For more information about older driver safety resources, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org/olderdrivers.