Ten signs that it’s unsafe for your parents to drive

Are you worried about your elderly parents driving? If so, you’re not alone. A lot of people feel like their parents no longer have the skills or physical capabilities to competently navigate traffic, and their shortcomings may lead to a serious accident that puts their safety and well-being at risk.

Signs that your parent might be ready to give up driving

But are you worrying for nothing? Maybe. Maybe not. Here are some signs that may help you decide if you need to talk to your parent about giving up driving:

1. Your parent consistently drives either too slowly or too fast for the traffic and road conditions.
2. Your parent has slow reactions times to changing situations on the road.
3. You notice that your parent’s vehicle frequently receives new dents, scratches, and scrapes.
4. You parent is easily distracted.
5. Your parent has trouble concentrating on driving duties.
6. Your parent regularly hits curbs, especially when making turns.
7. Your parent struggles to keep the vehicle in his or her lane.
8. Your parent has received an increased number of traffic citations.
9. Your parent has trouble merging into traffic.
10. Your parent has hearing or vision problems.

What to do if you see these signs

If you’ve seen these signs with your parent, then it may be time to talk to him or her about giving up driving. That can be a difficult conversation to have. However, if you’re understanding and honest with your parent and you provide alternatives to their transportation issue, then you may be able to better ensure your parent’s safety.

If you face resistance, then you might want to remind your parent that the issue doesn’t just affect them. Getting seriously injured in a car accident can affect their estate, their spouse, their children, and their grandchildren. They can even put other motorists at risk of being harmed.

We know that this can be a difficult topic to bring up, but we’re confident that with some preparation you can have a successful talk that will leave you feeling more comfortable with your parent’s safety.