Ways to smooth the road when driving becomes issue

My dad used to shake his fist and yell, "You meathead!" at drivers who did dumb or dangerous things. Then, late in life, he became one.

As his vision and hearing failed and his reflexes slowed to a turtle's, he grew to be, in his 70s, a menace on the road.

He wasn't unique. From my own observations, as well as the mail I receive from readers, many of us are concerned about older people who shouldn't be driving anymore. Here's information that puts the issue in perspective and suggests solutions.

First, the magnitude of the problem. In 2000, there were 18.9 million licensed drivers 65 years and older in the United States, 36 percent more than a decade earlier. Now, hold onto your hat: by 2020, there will be more than 40 million older drivers on the road — aging boomers who grew up with gasoline in their veins — and millions more by 2030. Accustomed to driving wherever and whenever they want, they're certain to drive longer — in both miles and age — than any previous generation in history. If you think we have problems now, just wait.

Second, older drivers are not, per se, bad drivers — most voluntarily restrict the number of miles they drive and cut back their driving during rush hour, in bad weather and at night, the most dangerous times. Overall, they have one of the safest driving records of any age group.

It's the oldest drivers who are a danger — and endanger others. The rate of crashes per mile driven is relatively constant for all adults ages 25 to 69, then begins to rise at age 70 and increases rapidly at age 80. It's these older drivers, too, who are more likely to suffer injuries or die when involved in a car crash, primarily because of their more fragile health. In 30 years, the number of drivers over age 85 is expected to be four to five times greater than today.

Third, each of us ages at different rates and in different ways. Although specific abilities needed to drive safely — such as vision, memory, physical strength, reaction time and flexibility — may decline as we grow older, the rate of change varies greatly across the older population. Thus, no "one-size fits all" answer works here, such as prohibiting people of a certain age from driving.

Fourth, given our addiction to cars, most communities have failed to develop convenient public transportation systems for healthy citizens, much less alternative systems for the frail and mentally incapacitated. In 1995, 44 percent of older persons lived in the suburbs and 28 percent lived in rural areas — where driving is required to just pick up a quart of milk. How can we "age in place" — grow old in our own homes — if there's no easy way to get groceries, see friends, visit the doctor?

In truth, we each need to prepare for the day we give up our keys. A new study comparing average life expectancy and maximum driving age for people over 70 shows that the majority of older drivers outlive their ability to drive by about 7 to 10 years.

What's required to solve this conundrum? The "big picture" answer: Given the coming age wave of 76 million boomers, nothing short of a radical reinvention of the way we do business will do. Some of our choices:

Rethinking where we live, creating villages instead of large suburban tracts, with small homes built close by — and sidewalks — so neighbors can help neighbors, and shops are close and easy to get to.

Adapting cars for safety, with accessories such as wide-angle rear-view mirrors, and new technologies that enhance our night vision and warn us when we're about to crash.

Re-engineering streets for older drivers — large print on traffic signs, left-turn lanes, traffic signals that show who goes first.

Offering transport alternatives that are truly convenient and easy to use by the disabled, including traffic-free paths for walkers, bicycles and electric scooters.

All of these ideas will take years to establish — which is why we need to start thinking about them now.

Near-term, however, one easy solution is staring us in the face: improving the driver. Studies show that better assessment of driving skills and retraining drivers to compensate for their impairments can lead to better, safer driving immediately.

And that's the strategy for a new initiative in driving awareness called the DriveWell Workshop, a free, three-hour program that explores mobility and safety issues related to older drivers. The program is open to the public, but its main target is people in positions to tell others about what they learned: Senior Center and retirement-community staff, law enforcement, occupational therapists, civic and church groups, and others.

Offered by the American Society on Aging and funded by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, a DriveWell Workshop will be held in our area June 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Wesley Homes, 816 S. 216th St., in Des Moines. You can register online at www.asaging.org/drivewell or call 206-870-8114. Registration deadline is June 21.

Liz Taylor's column runs Mondays in the Northwest Life section. A specialist in aging and long-term care for 30 years, she's worked with thousands of families and their elders. E-mail her at growingolder@seattletimes.com or write to P.O. Box 11601, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. You can see all of her columns at www.seattletimes.com/growingolder/.