As the years go by, the loss of physical abilities begins to appear. Among other things, people become more clumsy, eyesight no longer has the same sharpness, and hearing diminishes. This decline in skills affects all aspects of people’s lives: at work, in personal life and, of course, also in driving. However, is there an age to stop driving and get away from the wheel?
Currently, in Spain there is no age limit to stop driving, although it is true that there may come an age in which health conditions are decisive for stopping driving. The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) states that you should stop driving when “we could pose a risk to other road users”. In other words, when you no longer drive safely and are no longer only a risk to others but also to yourself due to the danger of suffering a traffic accident. How do I know when I can be a risk? From the Traffic Department they assure that a series of factors tend to be repeated in people who stop driving:
In addition to these factors, driving itself may indicate that the person should stop putting their hands behind the wheel. For example, if the person frequently gets lost on routes that are known, it may be the first sign that he should stop driving. Other driving circumstances also alert that the driver’s license must be abandoned. For example, if there is a slow reaction to the appearance of cyclists or pedestrians, you are easily stressed in situations that are common when driving such as overtaking, entering a roundabout or driving through the city.
The best thing to do is that if we have an elderly person nearby, we observe their driving style to make sure that, if they do drive, they do so safely and, if not, they leave their driver’s license aside.
