Transportation
The culture of the automobile

Transportation in our society has evolved during this century. Once considered a link or means of getting from one place to another transportation has become a major fact of our lives. Indeed it is still a link but an ever more vital one bringing us to work, recreation, social and shopping functions as well as to our cultural and religious identifiers.

The automobile in the last 100 years has changed our lives significantly. We travel farther and with greater mobility for any number of reasons. Auto travel provides an enormous sense of independence and no one has had this sense of independence longer than seniors.

A consequence of aging is the reduction in the skills and ability to drive and drive safely. Cars are without doubt the premiere form of transit for maximum access to the whole social range of point to point opportunities. Cars are a major identifier of independence. To forgo driving can be a major and significant point in ones life.

Independent mobility is the means of connecting to family, friends, commerce, employment, education, personal and medical care, recreational and cultural enrichment and religious fulfillment. This is the way the folks have gotten around for a long time and it has been an optimal means of transport.

Mom/Dad are a part of the fastest growing segment of the population in the U.S. As this portion of the driving public increases so to does the number of persons unable to drive safely. For seniors there are no firm or set guidelines that determine when a person should stop driving. There are reasons for this. For example older people tend to drive less than others and generally less at night. Consequently it can be difficult to assess driving abilities overall.

Also some seniors over time tend to adapt to the common physical limitations that age may bring on and consequently adapt their driving as well. Driving slower due to reflex and vision impairment is an example. Usually the reduction in driving occurs of a long period of time.

Yet older Americans are driving more than ever taking more trips and driving longer distances. This is due to the ever increasing and longer living elder population and other factors such as greater discretionary income, more time and expanded social and personal activities. This will, as transportation experts point out, lead to significant increases in traffic accidents and fatalities.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Everyone is different. Some people have functional disabilities that occur only very late in life and consequently are still able to carry out fundamental and physical tasks including driving for a long time. However with everyone it is just a question of time.

As we know the aging process brings on functional impairments. Whatever these limitations may be, hearing, vision, judgement, reflexes, etc they should not in themselves be a deciding factor on whether one should drive but rather what the impairment does for functional ability.

It could well be that Mom/Dad recognizes some limitation and will restrict their driving habits voluntarily. For example, night blindness could force Dad to realize that for safety reasons he will limit his driving to daylight hours.

Eldercare, health professionals and possibly even you and other family members will be challenged in determining when and under what conditions it is acceptable for a parent to continue driving.

1.Transportation Intro
2.Changes in Modes of Mobility
3.Mobility Options
4.Alternate Transportation