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Should Mom or Dad Still Drive?
New Guide Available Online to Those
Concerned About an Aging Driver
July 6, 2004 – You know older drivers are a problem
when insurance companies start producing expensive materials to help
solve the problem. There is now available a new guide and video online
for families worried about an aging parent's ability to drive safely.
We Need to Talk: Family Conversations with Older
Drivers was produced in partnership by The Hartford Financial
Services Group (NYSE:HIG) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
AgeLab.
Based on a two-year study of older drivers'
attitudes and driving habits, We Need to Talk offers families
easy-to-use, practical information to help them advise their loved ones
on whether it is time to limit or even give up driving. The 24-page
guide is free and available at its companion web site at
http://www.thehartford.com/talkwitholderdrivers/ or by writing to: The
Hartford, We Need to Talk, 200 Executive Blvd., Southington,
Conn. 06489.
The Hartford and the MIT AgeLab's study included a
nationally representative survey of 3,824 licensed drivers aged 50 and
older, in addition to focus groups with older adults who had modified
their driving and interviews with family caregivers of people with
dementia. The Hartford and the MIT AgeLab have collaborated on research
on older driver issues since 1999.
Maureen Mohyde, The Hartford's director of
corporate gerontology and co-author of We Need to Talk,
emphasizes that age alone is not an indication that a person needs to
give up driving.
"Many people can drive safely throughout their
later years," Mohyde said. "As a group, older drivers are typically safe
drivers. Drivers age 65 and older represent 14 percent of the driving
population but just 8 percent of vehicular accidents. If older drivers
do have problems behind the wheel most prefer to hear from family
members first. Before broaching the subject or taking drastic action,
families need to take the time to observe first-hand their relative's
driving behavior to see if skills have deteriorated."
Mohyde notes that the research found about
two-thirds of older drivers self-regulate, or voluntarily restrict,
their driving to avoid night driving, slippery road conditions, rush
hour traffic or other difficult driving conditions.
Joseph Coughlin, Ph.D., director of the MIT AgeLab
and We Need to Talk's co-author, said that adult children should
understand that hanging up the car keys can be devastating for the
driver.
"Driving is about more than transportation. It's a
symbol of independence and freedom. But having frank conversations about
driver safety early on -- well before it becomes a problem -- can
reinforce safe practices without the strain of asking the parent to
curtail or stop driving," Coughlin said.
We Need to Talk offers families a multi-step
approach to crafting candid, effectual discussions about older driver
safety, from positive conversation starters to advice on which family
member should broach the topic. We Need to Talk also features an
important Warning Signs checklist; strategies for alternative
transportation; testing opportunities; and recommendations on what to do
if a parent has dementia or a high-risk driver refuses to stop driving.
The best time to start talking about driving is
long before driving becomes an issue, says Mohyde.
"Comments about how much more congested traffic has
become recently or about an auto accident in the news can be a good way
to start a conversation about driving safety. By starting in a
non-threatening way, your parent will be more comfortable expressing his
or her feelings about driving," said Mohyde.
If potential problems arise, We Need to Talk
urges families to speak openly. According to The Hartford/MIT AgeLab
older driver survey, 75 percent said a health change was a legitimate
reason for family members to talk to them about their driving; 70
percent said a conversation was warranted if they got lost while
driving; 50 percent said a serious accident was an opportunity to start
a conversation and 33 percent said a minor accident or a near-miss
should trigger a talk.
"Deteriorating health or changes in medication can
have a significant impact on one's ability to drive safely. Families
should consider it a trigger for discussing potential driving
restrictions or even cessation," said Coughlin.
Before families initiate serious talks about
severely limiting or stopping driving, they need to do their homework.
Topping the list is the importance of observing
their relative's driving first-hand over a period of time. The Warning
Signs checklist contains 30 driving behaviors to watch for, ranging from
minor indicators, such as riding the brake and hitting curbs, to such
prescriptions for immediate action as failure to stop at a red light or
confusing the gas and brake pedals. We Need to Talk recommends
that families look for a pattern of problems, not simply an isolated
incident. The Hartford/MIT AgeLab study found that older drivers were
more willing to listen to those who had driven with them.
Enlisting the aid of a parent's doctor is also
beneficial. Some physicians are comfortable assessing driving skills
while others may recommend driving rehabilitation specialists for
testing. The Hartford/MIT AgeLab survey showed that in addition to
family members more than 30 percent said they valued their doctors'
opinions about driving issues.
Families also need to investigate transportation
alternatives to keep their loved ones engaged in life's activities.
While enlisting family members and friends as drivers is often the first
choice, other transportation sources include Dial-a-Ride-type programs,
taxis, and mass transit. Many communities also offer van service through
a local church or non-profit program. We Need to Talk's "Getting
There" worksheet contains list of transportation alternatives and advice
on what questions to ask.
Mohyde emphasizes that family support and
understanding is paramount to helping a loved one make the transition
from driver to passenger.
"Expect to have several conversations and show your
concern for your loved one's safety," Mohyde said. "The good news is
that talking to an older person about driving works. Our research found
that more than half of those who had been spoken to about driving said
they listened to and followed their families' suggestions."
The Hartford has been a founding sponsor of the MIT
AgeLab since 1999, establishing the Safe Driving for a Lifetime
partnership. MIT's Joseph Coughlin and The Hartford's corporate
gerontology group are committed to producing original research that can
expand the understanding of older drivers and their families as they
deal with changes in driving abilities.
In 2000, The Hartford and the MIT AgeLab published
At the Crossroads: A Guide to Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia & Driving,
now with more than 250,000 copies in print. At the Crossroads is
available at
www.thehartford.com/alzheimers.
The Hartford is one of the nation's largest
financial services and insurance companies, with 2003 revenues of $18.7
billion. The company is a leading provider of investment products, life
insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and
business property-casualty insurance. The Hartford's Internet address is
www.thehartford.com.
The MIT AgeLab invents new ideas and creatively
translates technologies into practical solutions that improve people's
health and enable them to be functional throughout the lifespan. Based
within MIT's School of Engineering's Engineering Systems Division, the
MIT AgeLab has assembled a multi-disciplinary and global team of
researchers, business partners, universities, and the aging community to
design, develop and deploy innovations to improve quality of life.
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