Caring for the older drivers in your life

As people important in your life age, their vision, memory, and physical strength may decline. This means that their ability to drive might change, too. Equipping yourself with resources and recognizing changes can help keep your loved one on the road safer and longer. GrandDriver encourages families to plan ahead for safe mobility of a loved one’s future transportation needs.

Older African American woman in car

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Find resources compiled by Virginia GrandDriver that can help your friends and loved ones stay safe on the road longer.

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Understanding the signs of age-related change

As a caregiver, you can help older drivers adjust to age-related changes. Being aware of changes in driving patterns can lead to important conversations about safety.

Neglects to buckle up

Difficulty working the pedals

Hesitant merging on highways or turning onto busy streets

Trouble seeing other vehicle and people who walk or bike

Difficulty seeing at night

Ignores or misses the stop signs

Reacts slowly to sirens and emergency vehicle flashing lights

Drifts into other lanes or straddles lanes

Changes lanes without signaling

Gets lost or disoriented in familiar places

Get them where they need to go

Reliable transportation isn’t limited to a car. The older driver in your life can use several transportation services like paratransit to provide options for people who can’t use regular, fixed-route bus services.

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We’re here to help

Looking to keep the loved one in your life safe on the road? Virginia GrandDriver helps your family navigate age-related changes and how it affects driving. Our toolkits and resources equip older drivers with information that will help them safely stay on the road for as long as possible.

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Publications

The following publications can help you further understand changes that come with aging and how it can impact your friend or loved one’s driving. Hard copies of the following publications can be obtained from The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, or AAA and AARP offices.