PREPARING FOR DRIVING DRIVING SAFETY RETIREMENT Driving is a part of every day life in North  Most people will outlive their driving America. However, it is important to career: Males by 6 years and females by remember that driving is a privilege, not a 10 years, on average right.  Those who stop driving do so for many reasons including: Driving is a complex task that requires a  Not feeling comfortable while driving number of abilities including vision,  Declines in driving abilities motor, and cognitive abilities. For your  Finances own safety and the safety of other road  Transitioning from the driver seat to the users, it is important to know what passenger seat is an individual process medical conditions may affect your  Ways to prepare for driving cessation Medical Conditions driving ability. include:  Becoming aware of and familiar with and Driving High Risk Drivers other transportation options in your community There are a number of high risk segments  Public transportation (e.g., bus, light of the driving population including drivers rail transit) who speed, those who drive while  Community shuttles/senior transit impaired by alcohol and drugs, and those services (e.g., transportation from who drive while medically impaired. For medical facilities for appointments, younger drivers, fatality rates are high due transit service from your place of to speeding, driving under the influence, worship, volunteer driver programs, and distracted driving. For older drivers, etc.) high fatality rates are due to the presence  Taxis/private drivers of one or more medical conditions and/or  Depositing the dollars that you spend the treatment for those conditions, on your automobile into a ‘mobility’ increased susceptibility to injury, and account to pay for alternate transport medical complications following a crash.  Having conversations with family and DRIVER FATALITY RATE friends (PER 100 MILLION MILES TRAVELLED)  Consider moving to a more walkable neighborhood FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Watch videos on medical conditions and driving in older individuals at www.nhtsa.gov/ Driving+Safety/Older+Drivers/Video+Toolkit +On+Medical+Conditions

Kansas Highway Patrol Fatality Rate Fatality Rate Phone: (785) 296-6800 Email: [email protected]

This brochure was developed by a collaboration

Driver Age Group between Kansas Highway Patrol and the Medically At-Risk IIHS Fatality Facts, 2011 Driver Centre at the University of Alberta. Most older drivers are safe drivers DEMENTIA INCREASES YOUR RISK  Drivers with dementia are 3.5 times Many older drivers can ‘self-regulate’ to keep more likely to be in an at-fault collision themselves and others safe. This is because older than healthy drivers drivers, as a group:  There are over 100 causes of dementia  90% of dementias are irreversible  Do not drive during rush hour  Even with treatment, cognitive  Do not drive during inclement weather (rain, snow) function does not return to ‘normal’  Restrict highway/freeway driving  1/3 of individuals in the early stages of dementia are safe to drive, so  Restrict night driving diagnosis of dementia alone is not enough to take away someone’s license  All individuals with a dementia will Illness, not age, affects your ability to safely drive become unsafe to drive at some point in their illness SENSORY MOTOR COGNITIVE  The disease not only robs someone of Illnesses that can affect Illnesses that can affect Common illnesses that the ability to drive, but also of the your vision and sensation motor function include: affect cognitive functions awareness of their declining safety can impair your ability to  Parkinson’s disease (e.g., memory, attention, drive safely. Examples  Paralysis, due to a judgment) include: include: stroke  Dementia  Cataracts  Arthritis  Stroke  Hearing loss Depending on the nature  Brain injury  Neuropathy of your impairment, you The mental abilities you There may be treatments may have to make need to drive safely (e.g., for some conditions that adaptations to your vehicle quick decision making, help you to continue to that will allow you to paying attention to many drive safely (e.g., cataract continue driving safely. things at once, judging surgery). Restrictions may distances) may be affected be placed on your licence Some motor illnesses also by cognitive illnesses. (e.g., corrective lenses, have a cognitive day time driving only) to component (e.g., stroke, ensure your safety. Parkinson’s) that affects driving. DRIVERS’ LICENCES IN KANSAS  A drivers’ license is valid for 6 years Warning signs that driving may have become unsafe  After age 65, individuals are required to renew their license every 4 years  Unaware of driving errors  Straddling lanes, wide turns, etc.  At renewal, drivers are required to  Getting lost or confused while driving  Missing traffic signs pass a vision test and may also be  Other drivers honking  Unable to keep up with the speed of required to take a written examination of traffic laws and signals, as well as traffic an on-road examination Medications and driving Many prescription and ‘over-the counter’ medications can affect an individual's ability to drive. It is important that drivers of any age check with their health care provider or pharmacist about possible side effects of any medication that is being taken, particularly with respect to driving.