When is it time to give up driving?

I gave up driving over the Christmas holidays. (2023) - age 80
I turned over my fairly new car to my 16 year old granddaughter .... wasn't that hard to do really.

My eyesight is the issue.
It was starting to get stressful getting behind the wheel.
.
 
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I could not pass the eye exam at the DMV last year. After cataract surgery, my vision did not improve enough to pass the test. I also have late stage macular degeneration/geographic atrophy, so my driving days ended at 70. I planned to keep driving for as long as I was physically and mentally able, didn't expect the vision loss to happen so quickly. As much of a bummer as it is, I'm happy to say I never had an accident or hurt anyone. Sometimes we literally have no choice on whether we can continue to drive or not. Thankfully my husband is happy to help by driving me where I need to go. If needed in the future, I'll be taking taxis or using Uber.
 
After being hospitalized for several months, I came home. I was pretty shaky. I figured that if I drove really slow and took my time, I could drive. Out on a rural road, where the speed limit was 55 mph, I was doing about 20-25. People were getting frustrated and passing me when they shouldn't have. While I wasn't crashing into anything, I would be the cause of others getting into accidents. Yeah, they were reckless but people are human, and emotions get to us.
I didn't want to be responsible for someone's death or broken body. It took another six months to get back to where I could drive, and not be a threat to anybody.
While I'm not looking forward to it, if I can't drive, I won't. I lived without driving once, so I can do it again, while I'd rather not.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
After being hospitalized for several months, I came home. I was pretty shaky. I figured that if I drove really slow and took my time, I could drive. Out on a rural road, where the speed limit was 55 mph, I was doing about 20-25. People were getting frustrated and passing me when they shouldn't have. While I wasn't crashing into anything, I would be the cause of others getting into accidents. Yeah, they were reckless but people are human, and emotions get to us.
I didn't want to be responsible for someone's death or broken body. It took another six months to get back to where I could drive, and not be a threat to anybody.
While I'm not looking forward to it, if I can't drive, I won't. I lived without driving once, so I can do it again, while I'd rather not.
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My dad always told me, "You may not have an accident, but you can cause an accident."
 
An elderly friend of mine a few years ago had the same attitude as the OP. He wrecked his truck 3X in one year. First, he pulled out of a side road into the middle of a pickup pulling a trailer. Got his truck put back together, and a week later hit a deer. Yes that one was forgivable. A month or so after THAT repair, he rear ended a kid who was stopped at the light....doing 70 in a 45 zone and never touched the brakes. Both somehow walked away from that mess, but both vehicles were totaled. He was 76 at the time.
 
I'd like to give up driving since I don't enjoy it anymore and don't go very far. Uber is expensive I hear, and I wonder if not having to pay car insurance and tax would even make up for the cost of Uber. I will have to check on that.

Snow is a big PITA. Have to move the car and wait for the plows to finish, etc.
 
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It's not as big a deal here in the Uk for most people as it might be for some living in the USA.... because at retirement age we all can have a free bus ass, and in the city a free or subsidised travel pass which includes the tube and buses ..

here in the sticks it's more difficult because we only see a bus about twice a day...and definitely none after 6pm...but in the larger town and cities, it's a god send for seniors who no longer drive...
 
hollydolly said:
It's not as big a deal here in the Uk for most people as it might be for some living in the USA.... because at retirement age we all can have a free bus ass, and in the city a free or subsidised travel pass which includes the tube and buses ..

here in the sticks it's more difficult because we only see a bus about twice a day...and definitely none after 6pm...but in the larger town and cities, it's a god send for seniors who no longer drive...
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Even in the country here, it would be nice to have a bus twice a day.
 
I hate driving since I lost my vision in one eye and have problems with the other. It’s just not worth it most of the time so I walk or take the bus. DH has Parkinson’s so he limits when he drives; we know at some point he won’t be able. That will change our lives. Fortunately, when we retired one stipulation in choosing a new home was that we had to be in walking distances to many things.
 
RadishRose said:
I'd like to give up driving since I don't enjoy it anymore and don't go very far. Uber is expensive I hear, and I wonder if not having to pay car insurance and tax would even make up for the cost of Uber. I will have to check on that.

Snow in a big PITA. Have to move the car and wait for the plows to finish, etc.
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I understand that @RadishRose

Living in an area that can bring 'everything' to your doorstep helps..
Home delivery works for all grocery needs, and monthly water delivery here. ... and the occasional Vet and Doctor visits can be at home too.
I have a mobile vet service .. . also, Dispatch Health Medical service, which I've used twice.


When I really need to get away and go out ..... my son, and my younger daughter live nearby,
.... and also the granddaughter who has my car. She is always ready to go when not at school or work!
 
hearlady said:
Even in the country here, it would be nice to have a bus twice a day.
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yes I understand because there'a a lot of villages around here who have no bus service at all.... however a 2 a day bus service isn't as good as you might think. For example the bus comes at 10.. people take it to go to the small town shopping, but the bus does not return until 5pm.. so once the shopping is done, or the appointment is over, then people have hours to hang about waiting for the bus to return.. and very often in the rain.. ...and an even more frustrating thing is, that it regularly doesn't even turn up..

Cabs here are super expensive too..
 
In Pennsylvania, your doctor can set the wheels in motion to have your license revoked. That includes, a physician, an optometrist, an ENT if a loss of hearing is evident and a Psychiatrist.

We had a wife come into our barracks I was assigned to and requested that her husband’s license be taken away from him. When asked why she thought that way, her answer was, he doesn’t know where he is many of the times and often forgets where he is going.
 
911 said:
In Pennsylvania, your doctor can set the wheels in motion to have your license revoked. That includes, a physician, an optometrist, an ENT if a loss of hearing is evident and a Psychiatrist.

We had a wife come into our barracks I was assigned to and requested that her husband’s license be taken away from him. When asked why she thought that way, her answer was, he doesn’t know where he is many of the times and often forgets where he is going.
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Here in the Province of Ontario EVERY Medical Doctor has the LEGAL REQUIREMENT to report persons who MAY have medical or mental issues that MAY render them a danger to others while DRIVING. The Doctor MUST submit a official report to the Provincial Ministry of Transportation's Driver Safety department. The MTO then requires the driver to attend a meeting in person where their ability to see hear and answer questions will be tested. An actual road test will be done based on the physical results on the interview. This testing is NOT age based, at all. Some retired Ontario Police officers offer FREE in car testing of elderly drivers, so their families can see if the person is capable or dangerous behind the wheel. Jimb.
 

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