Getting older doesn’t mean that you have to stop driving. However, it’s important to regularly monitor your driving abilities as you begin aging so that you can keep a check on your ability to safely drive your vehicle. An important part of maintaining senior health is making sure that it’s still safe to get behind the wheel, and at Cathay Express Transportation Services, we suggest watching out for three signs that may indicate an elderly family member should no longer be driving.
- Vision impairment
Vision is an obvious necessity for safe driving. It’s important to be able to read road signs, and it’s important to be able to read the speedometer inside the car. Research indicates that in people over the age of 75, visual impairment is increased. If the elderly person in your life has poor vision or is showing signs of visual impairment, then it’s probably a good idea to think about having a conversation about no longer driving. When your elderly family member stops driving, and you’re in need of a wheelchair accessible airport car service in New York, call Cathay Express Transportation Services to see how we can help.
- Health Conditions
Physical and mental issues often go hand-in-hand with aging. Some elderly people develop Parkinson’s disease or dementia, both of which can impair judgment and compromise driving ability. If you are wondering whether your loved one should still be getting behind the wheel because of a specific health issue, then it might be time to schedule an appointment with his or her health-care provider to discuss the details. Not all health conditions mean that your loved one has to stop driving, but it’s important to determine what ones affect the ability to safely drive a car.
- Medications
Many drugs can compromise someone’s driving ability. Many drugs can cause drowsiness and others can cause side effects such as tremors, blurred vision or confusion. Some drugs also have interactions with other drugs, so it’s important for your loved one to know exactly what can be taken, and whether the drugs will interfere with his or her ability to drive. Many elderly people take several prescriptions a day, so it’s important to know exactly which ones are safe to use while driving. If your loved one requires private wheelchair transportation service in New York, call us here at Cathay Express Transportation Services to find out more about what we can do.