Ahhhh.... getting your first driver's license. What a feeling! It's a rite of passage for many as a teen. You take a driver's test, hope to pass the parallel parking part without taking out a cone, and finally have your photo taken for an ID that very likely gives you your first real taste of transportation independence. At the time you're probably not thinking too much about driver license laws way down the road - the day you, decades later, become a senior.
As early as in your 60s, drivers license laws change in various ways depending on what state you live in. It's always good idea to know what the laws are in your state.
The American Automobile Association provides some great info on the topic on its AAA Exchange website. On it, AAA says older Americans today are healthier and more active than ever. With the aging of the baby boomer generation, people over 65 are the fastest-growing population in the U.S. and that by 2030, there will be more than 70 million people age 65 or older - with 85-90% of of them licensed to drive.
On one hand, AAA says senior drivers are among the safest since they often reduce their risk of injury by wearing safety belts, not drinking and driving, self-restricting their driving due to safety concerns and by observing speed limits. On the other hand, seniors are also more prone to be injured or killed in a crash due to age-related fragility.
AAA suggests that state licensing agencies can help extend safe mobility for the older and medically at-risk drivers by using their licensing policies and practices to identify and assess at-risk-drivers while using restrictions and remediation to help senior drivers compensate for functional impairments.
It's also not just about age. AAA says that just because someone is 75, 85, or even 95 years old does not mean that their ability to drive safely has been compromised. It says policies and practices designed to improve senior safety and mobility must take this reality into account and decisions about driving should be made on a case-by- case basis, not chronological age.
AAA also shares some driver license law renewal info compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To explore license renewal procedures state-by-state, click here.
Senior driving and when to put down the keys is a topic Jerry discusses in his Empowering Citizens video. If you missed it, you can see it here. You can also read his post about when it's time to take mom and dad's keys here.
