Keep in mind that, according to a 2002 study, older drivers have a three-fold increased risk of crashing per mile driven than middle-aged drivers. Having the conversation about how to get an elderly parent to stop driving is often the most loving thing you can do to protect your loved one.
You don’t necessarily have to think about how to get an elderly parent to stop driving altogether. For a lot of older adults, the transition away from driving may happen slowly. For example, maybe an older adult has trouble seeing at night, so you encourage them only to drive during daylight hours. Or perhaps they can still drive safely on back roads with a speed limit of 25 mph, but you’re concerned about them hitting higher speeds on the highway. Depending on your parent’s unique situation, you may determine that there are some instances where self-driving is okay and other instances where they might want to instead utilize driving services.
Think back to when you were a teenager just learning to drive. You were so excited for a little bit of freedom, but your parents gave you curfews, restrictions about who could go in your car, times of day you weren’t allowed to drive, or other rules.
Now, the roles are reversed, and your parent might be feeling similar feelings about the loss of independence, freedom, and autonomy. By approaching the conversation from a place of empathy, you and your loved one should be able to come to a fair and reasonable compromise regarding their senior driving.
Don’t start the conversation with your loved one by saying, “You can’t drive anymore. Give me your keys.” Instead, kindly explain to your parent or loved one why you are concerned about them driving. For example, if they have recently started a new pain medication, you might say, “I’m concerned that your new medication might make you drowsy or have other side effects while you are driving.” Or if they were recently in an accident, you might say, “I noticed a dent in your car. I know accidents happen. Can you explain what happened?”
Having an upfront, two-sided conversation that comes from a place of compassion is the best way to handle the conversation.
After explaining why you are concerned, offer a solution that maintains their current freedom and autonomy as best as possible. For example, popular alternatives are driving services for seniors like GoGoGrandparent. GoGo rides offer reliable, professional drivers who can offer rides tailored to those who may have chronic illnesses or physical impairments. GoGoGrandparent offers rides anywhere, anytime, so your loved ones can still have the freedom of movement that they desire.
Best yet, you can feel confident knowing our GoGoGuardians are monitoring requests to ensure your loved one’s needs are met from pickup to drop off. We interview drivers, screen vehicles, ensure accessibility, and so much more.
Thirdly, provide your loved ones with the resources to take these next steps for senior driving. Don’t have the conversation and then hope that they will take action. Immediately following the conversation, help them take the next step by registering your loved ones with GoGoGrandparent. In just a few short steps, you can have monitored on-demand driving services for seniors that will offer all the benefits of driving a car – without all the drawbacks.
GogoGrandparent has really helped my mom maintain a level of independence that wouldn’t be possible without this service. It also gives me the peace of mind of knowing that she can get around safely.
-Deborah, a family member
It was a lifesaver for us. My father-in-law stopped driving after his first ride with GoGo Grandparent. You were able to satisfy his needs for getting out to go to his office.
- Ronnie, a family member
