AARP Hearing Center
Do you know anyone who has problems driving or who has stopped driving? What led you to think that he or she had a problem driving?
See also: Brain health and driving
The following warning signs can indicate a physical and/or memory problem that is beginning to affect someone’s driving abilities.
Physical Capabilities
- Not being able to see or hear what is going on outside the car
- Trouble moving foot from gas pedal to brake pedal
- Difficulty turning head when backing up
- Delayed responses to unexpected situations
Cognitive Capabilities
- Decrease in confidence while driving
- Needs someone else to tell him or her how to drive
- Getting lost in familiar places
- Becoming easily distracted while driving
- Getting confused at intersections, entrance or exit ramps, or roundabouts
- Inability to adapt to new situations
- Failing to recognize dangerous situations
Poor Driving Skills
- Not using turn signals correctly or not using them at all
- Having trouble making turns
- Having difficulty moving into or maintaining the correct lane of traffic
- Having trouble judging the space between vehicles in traffic on highway entrance or exit ramps
- Parking inappropriately
- Hitting curbs when making right turns or backing up
- Unpredictable stopping in traffic
- Driving too slowly; other drivers often honk horns
- Failing to stop at stop signs or stoplights
- Failing to notice important activity on the side of the road
Undesirable Behaviors
- Driving too fast or too slow for road conditions
- Becoming more agitated or irritated when driving
- Distracted driving
- Impaired driving
- Not following doctor’s guidance
- Evidence of warning signs
- Getting scrapes or dents on car, garage or mailbox
- Having frequent close calls
- Being warned or ticketed for moving violations
- Having multiple vehicle crashes
External Advice
- Doctors or pharmacists have advised him or her that certain medications may affect the capacity to drive
- Friends, relatives, doctors or other trusted sources have suggested that driving be limited or that driving ceased
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