Adapting to driving as you age
We support older drivers to continue to drive on Queensland roads for as long as they can do so safely.
Some health conditions that become more common with age may lessen a person’s ability to drive safely. Make it a habit to self-monitor your health and your driving. Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about your driving health.
Physical and mental changes to watch for
As you get older, you may become aware of small changes in your physical and mental abilities. You may notice changes in how you process information, your vision, and your ability to move. Any of these changes could influence your fitness to drive safely.
Vision
Your vision changes as you get older, and even a small loss of vision can affect your driving. You may find that it’s getting hard to:
- change focus and see details, such as traffic signs
- see objects and obstacles, such as pedestrians or people on bicycles
- recover from glare, such as oncoming headlights or the afternoon sun
- see things in your side vision or out of the corner of your eyes when looking ahead
- adjust your vision when going from light to dark or vice versa.
Hearing
Hearing helps you identify other road users and hazards. You need to have a clear understanding of the traffic conditions when driving.
Movement
Changes to your body can make movement slower and more difficult. You may experience a decrease in your:
- muscle strength
- flexibility and mobility
- range of movement
- coordination.
These changes can affect your driving and can result in slower reaction times. Health problems, such as arthritis, also make moving harder.
Thinking
Your ability to process information and react to it may slow down as you age.
Driving under pressure can be stressful and may leave you with less time to react to changes on the road.
Changes to your driving skills to watch for
Checking your driving skills for early warning signs helps ensure you don’t risk your safety or others’. Being honest with yourself, asking questions, and making good choices could save your life or the life of someone you love.
Here are some things to think about your fitness to drive and to talk about with your doctor.
Do you:
- have near misses when driving?
- have difficulty maintaining concentration while driving?
- feel exhausted after driving for an hour or less?
- have difficulty with glare from oncoming headlights, streetlights or other bright or shiny objects, especially at dawn, dusk and night time?
- find it hard to turn your head, neck, shoulders or body while driving or parking?
- find your passengers warn you about things you may not have seen, or see too late?
- regularly need your passengers to give you directions, such as when it’s clear to pass?
- have difficulty reacting quickly to other driver’s actions?
- misinterpret or fail to see traffic signs and signals?
- fail to judge distances correctly?
- drive too fast or too slow for the conditions?
- suffer from any serious health conditions such as arthritis, epilepsy, a heart condition, high blood pressure or anxiety?
- take medication that may impact on your ability to drive safely?
- feel overwhelmed in heavy traffic?
- become easily flustered or angry?
If any of these happen to you, think about changing how you drive. Also talk to your doctor about how to keep driving safely.
How to keep driving safely
Monitor your health
- have your eyes checked regularly
- visit your doctor, optometrist or ophthalmologist if you notice any changes in your vision
- keep your glasses prescription up to date and suitable for driving. Also ensure your windscreen is clean to reduce glare
- avoid driving if you’re feeling tired, sick or upset
- regularly check with your doctor whether you can continue to drive safely if you suffer from any serious health conditions such as arthritis, epilepsy, a heart condition, high blood pressure or anxiety
- check with your doctor or pharmacist if any medication you are taking might reduce your ability to drive safely.
Adjust your driving
- think about whether you are comfortable driving in busy traffic
- merging onto a busy freeway
- changing lanes in traffic
- travelling an unfamiliar route
- modify your driving patterns, as appropriate, such as limiting or avoiding driving at night or twilight.
- avoid difficult road conditions, such as bad weather, poor light or busy traffic.
Read more about driving safely and to the road conditions. Also find out about driver reviver rest stops and planning your journey.
Modify your vehicle
You can also modify your vehicle to help prepare for age-related changes.
You can ask an occupational therapist to assess you and suggest changes to your car to improve safety, including extended mirrors, custom hand controls, steering aids or left-foot accelerators.
Read about the vehicle modifications and how to get approval.