Is it time to give up the car?

Giving up driving, for all or part of the time, doesn't have to equal a loss of mobility. Transportation alternatives are available in your community and they may save you money.

As we saw in the previous article, the normal physical changes of aging can make driving unwise beyond a certain point. Hearing loss, vision problems, decreased reaction time, memory loss, and lessened manual dexterity are all limitations that tend to increase as a person ages. There may come a point when any one of these conditions or a combination of several make it difficult and risky to keep driving.

Some older drivers become increasingly nervous about their driving ability, and consequently become less mobile in the community. Some keep driving until an incident occurs—a scare, a minor accident, or worse—and then quit driving abruptly, without having made plans for what they will do without the car. And others are in denial, refusing to face up to limitations until family members or the department of licensing step in.

It doesn't have to be that way. When you first begin to have concerns about your driving, that is the time to begin planning your post-driving strategy. Think of this as just another challenge to be addressed, and then use your best problem-solving skills to keep yourself active and mobile.

Giving Up Driving Doesn't Mean Giving Up Mobility

The first thing to do when considering becoming a non-driver is to add up what owning and maintaining a car costs you. Car payments, insurance, repairs, gasoline, parking fees all these should go into your calculation. For most people, the total is considerable. Think of those dollars as money available to you for alternative transportation.

Knowing you have this "transportation allowance" available to you, begin to calculate your alternatives:

Do you live on or near a bus or rapid transit route? Where are the places you can conveniently travel using public transportation? If you've never explored your local bus, subway or light rail, take a field trip! Just hop on and take a ride some day, making sure you know how to return to the same spot. Look for grocery stores, dry cleaners, other shopping possibilities along the route.

Do you have family or friends who might enjoy giving you a ride to church, to your doctor's office, to the barber or beauty shop, on a weekly shopping trip?
Is there special transportation for seniors in your area? Where will they take you? How convenient is it? How much lead time is needed to use this service?
How much do cab rides cost to your usual destinations? Will a cab company take "standing assignments" on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Once you have figured out how the first three modes of transportation will work for you, use taxis cabs to fill in the blanks.

Don't forget walking! We get in the habit of driving, even though some local destinations are close enough to provide a little extra exercise.

With this kind of planning, many seniors lose their anxiety over giving up driving. It still may not be easy, but having a workable plan for getting where you want to go is a major step forward. When the time comes to put away the keys, be creative in your approach. You might try these suggestions:

Leave your car in the garage for a while and see how you get along not using it.
Set a trial period during which you will try out transportation options.
Give your car as a gift to a favorite charity or to a grandchild.
Sell the car and set the money aside to increase your transportation fund.
Take advantage of planning for being a non-driver if that time comes. Be proactive; don't wait for circumstances to make decisions for you. If you're honest with yourself, you will know when you need to begin making plans. Giving yourself an extra margin of safety is the right thing to do for other drivers on the road, and it can, above all, be a gift to yourself and your family!

What's the Role of Family?

Don't let the topic of driving safety become a "taboo" subject in your family. Seniors have the right to make their own decisions as long as they're able, including the decision to keep driving. But family members have the right—and the responsibility—to be concerned about the safety of their loved one and of strangers who might be hurt in an accident. There is obvious potential for conflict here, but you shouldn’t let it reach that point. Be willing to talk candidly about the issue, and be open to some risk-reducing compromises. Work together to create a plan that respects while it protects.

Learn More About Alternate Transportation Strategies

The National Center on Senior Transportation website offers information for older adults, caregivers and transportation providers to promote the greatest independence and mobility for seniors in the community.

For more senior driving safety resources, visit the Aging in Stride "Online Resource Center," and see "Safer Driving Courses and Information" under the "Staying Safe and Secure" heading.



By Joyce Remy, Editor, and Dennis Kenny, Co-Author, Aging in Stride–Plan Ahead, Stay Connected, Keep Moving. Copyright, 2009.