Older Drivers

According to NHTSA, nationwide in 2007, 196,000 older individuals (65+) were injured in traffic crashes and accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities, 14 percent of all vehicle occupant fatalities, and 19 percent of all pedestrian fatalities. In the District, older drivers accounted for 15.9 percent of total fatalities in traffic crashes in 2007 (Traffic Safety Facts: Older Driver, NHTSA, 2007).

Older drivers are a unique population on the District’s roadways because they may be experiencing age-related changes in body and mind that affect driving abilities such as: the ability to see traffic and road conditions; the ability to recognize, process, and decide how to react to traffic situations; or the ability to perform the physical movement required to control their vehicle (Adopted from Drive well: Promoting Older Driver Safety and Mobility in Your Community, published by NHTSA and the American Society on Aging, 2007).

Aside from taking care of your health, you can take an active role in helping yourself or another senior to drive more safely.

• Find the right car and any aids you need for driving.
  Choose a vehicle with automatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. Keep your car in good working condition by visiting your mechanic for scheduled maintenance. Be sure that windows and headlights are always clean. You can also see an occupational therapist for special driving aids that can help with physical problems.
• Take it slow and give yourself plenty of room.
  If cars are passing you on both the right and left lanes, you may be driving more slowly than you used to. Move into the slow lane so others can pass you safely. Also, to avoid problems if the vehicle in front of you stops suddenly, stay back about two car lengths. Be sure to yield the right of way in intersections. Older drivers also have a large number of accidents at intersections when making left turns. It is best to avoid them altogether by making successive right turns and keeping going around the block or blocks to get to your destination.
• Avoid distractions.
  In general, many accidents happen because of distractions like talking on the phone, tuning the radio, eating or drinking, reaching for something, turning your head to talk with a passenger or looking around at the scenery instead of the road. Even a few seconds of taking your mind off driving can be precarious.
• Avoid uncomfortable driving situations.
  Many older drivers voluntarily begin to make changes in their driving practices. For instance, you may decide to drive only during daylight hours if you have trouble seeing well in reduced light. If fast-moving traffic bothers you, consider staying off freeways, highways, and find street routes instead. You may also decide to avoid driving in bad weather (rain, thunderstorms, snow, hail, ice). If you are going to a place that is unfamiliar to you, it is a good idea to plan your route before you leave so that you feel more confident and avoid getting lost. Online services such as MapQuest, Google Maps, and Yahoo Maps can be very helpful.

If you have a medical condition that may impair your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, even temporarily, you must provide a Medical and/or Eye Report from your physician. Some of these conditions include:

• Alzheimer’s Disease -
  Requires a Medical Report and the completion of the knowledge and road skills tests.
• Seizure Disorder/Loss of Consciousness -
  Requires a Medical Report. DC regulation states you must be seizure-free for at least twelvemonths prior to obtaining a driver’s license.
  If you are currently licensed and experience a seizure or loss of consciousness, you must report the incident to DMV within 30 days. Unless your physician indicates the seizure was due to a change in medication, or strictly nocturnal, DMV will suspend your driving privilege for twelve months from the date of the last episode.
• Insulin-dependent Diabetes -
  Requires a Medical and Eye Report.
• Vision impairment (i.e., glaucoma, cataracts, eye disease and monocular vision)-
  Requires an Eye Report.

A Medical Report is also required when a law enforcement officer suspects a driver may have a medical condition that led to a traffic citation or accident. If DMV receives a detailed, written statement from a family member, law enforcement officer, or physician related to the unsafe driving of a resident, we will also require the resident to complete a Medical Report. Driving tests may also be required in any of these situations, depending on the circumstances.

DMV will use the medical information provided by your physician to determine if a driver's license may be issued or issued with restrictions. We may also issue a driver’s license for a shorter duration based on your physician’s information. Also, if your doctor recommends follow-up Medical and/or Eye Reports, we will track this information to ensure compliance. If we do not receive the follow-up reports within the timeframe specified by your physician, your license will be subject to suspension.

If necessary, DMV may issue you a non-renewable, 45-day temporary license to allow you an opportunity to obtain your physician’s certification on the Medical and/or Eye Report. For residents 70 years of age or older, this temporary license may also be issued to allow time to obtain your physician’s certification on the driver’s license application.

As part of the driver’s license medical review process, DMV may require you to submit an Eye Report from your ophthalmologist/optometrist and/or a Medical Report from your physician.

If you are 70 years or older you must:

• Have your physician complete the certification on the driver’s license application.
• Pass the eye test.

Based on your physician’s evaluation and recommendation and any necessary DMV evaluations, DMV will determine whether to:

• Deny your application (in which case a non-driver ID may be obtained);
• Suspend your driving privileges;
• Restrict your driving privileges; or
• Require you to submit periodic medical and/or eye reports

For more information about applying for a Driver’s License or to download the Medical or Eye Report for your doctor to fill out, visit http://dmv.dc.gov/serv/medical/medicalRequirements.shtm

• Older driver safety awareness week
• Safety Tips, Warning Signs, and Knowing When to Stop
• Roadwise Review Online
• NHTSA - Older Driver Program
• Drivers 55 Plus: Self-Rating Form
• AARP CarFit Program