Aging Parents Who Shouldn't Drive: Boomers' Burden
June 22nd 2010 04:08
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From: Forbes.com
Adult children need to help mom and dad recognize when it is time to turn over the car keys.
Imagine that the phone rings, and it's the police department in the city where your 85-year-old mother lives. She's been in a car accident. She hit a pedestrian, the officer is saying, and your mom is hurt. You feel a rush of fear and guilt. You saw the warning signs, the forgetfulness, the lack of ability to concentrate. Mom really shouldn't have been on the road. You're afraid to ask what happened to the pedestrian. Could you have prevented this?
If we're talking about your mom or dad, and you've noticed that he or she might not be safe behind the wheel anymore, it is definitely time to act. From representing accident victims for nearly three decades, I have witnessed too many older drivers who are left to decide for themselves when it's time to stop driving. That's a mistake, and it can be a fatal one. It's never OK to "wait until there's an accident" or ignore a problem because "Dad only drives to the store."
Too often, older drivers who are losing their ability to drive safely either don't recognize it or can't face the terrible thought of giving up the independence and control that comes with driving a car. Sometimes, loss of the ability to drive is a life-changing event, as the elder can no longer maintain himself at home without transportation.
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