Detour Ahead: More and more older drivers face giving up the freedom of the road

EACH WEEKDAY, dozens of Oregonians mark a poignant milestone at Driver and Motor Vehicle offices throughout the state.

They are not among the hundreds of teen-agers elated upon getting their first driver's licenses.

In fact, they are the flip side of those happy, high-fiving 16-year-olds. They are older Oregonians who have just lost their driving privileges.

If "getting your license" is among the most anticipated events of the teen-age years, losing it is among the most dreaded events of later life.

As a character in James Michener's "Recessional" tells fellow residents of his Florida retirement community: "The two sorriest days in a man's life in this joint is when his wife dies and when he has to give up his driver's license. Not necessarily in that order."

And today's drivers are more likely than ever to face such sorry days. With medical breakthroughs extending life spans, Americans are increasingly outliving their ability to drive, according to a recent study by the National Institute on Aging.

"Hundreds of thousands of older people quit driving each year and must turn to alternative transportation," said Dan Foley, a biostatistician and lead researcher of the study. "I don't think sufficient attention has been paid to the transition from driver to nondriver."

Sharon Clark, a longtime driver improvement counselor at the Eugene DMV office, agrees.

For 14 years, she has been one of five DMV workers statewide to retest drivers fingered in a Driver Evaluation Request. The forms are typically filed by concerned family members, physicians or police officers.

"Every single person who comes in is very frightened," Clark said of the challenged drivers. "A lot of them think, `If I can't drive any more, I'll just have to go home and die.' "

Such dramatic reactions are not surprising, she said, given what driving symbolizes in our culture.

"Look at our 16-year-olds - getting a license is their first sign of independence," Clark said.

The first point she tries to make with challenged drivers is that an evaluation request does not necessarily spell the end of their driving days.

"I tell them that we're just checking, that this is just one piece of information," she said.

Indeed, of 2,249 Oregonians summoned for re-evaluation in 2001, about 50 percent passed written and on-the-road tests to retain their licenses, state DMV spokesman David House said.

Some 30 percent surrendered their licenses without even coming in for retesting, while 20 percent took the tests and failed.

Wayne Ernshaw, local DMV regional manager, stressed that the issue is one of ability, not age.

"It's not just older drivers who are the subject of evaluation requests," he said. "A wide variety of people have to come in and re-establish eligibility for the privilege of a driver's license."

In fact, the 2001 Oregon Legislature rejected the idea of age-based mandatory retests, he said. And the Driver Evaluation Request form asks for specific observations or incidents that call the driver's safety into question.

"Requests based on age and/or general health alone will not be honored," it states in bold, capital letters.

A state Older Driver Advisory Committee found that Oregon drivers age 70 and older are less likely to be involved in fatal crashes than drivers age 16 to 24. But they have a much higher likelihood than drivers age 25 to 69. And when involved in a fatality, they are much more likely to be at fault than even teen drivers.

Rather than age-based retesting, however, the Legislature enacted more stringent "mandatory reporting" for physicians who see conditions that could interfere with a patient's driving ability, regardless of age.

"I've evaluated people in their 30s who've had strokes," she said. "I've seen people of all ages with multiple sclerosis or dementia, or who've lost the feeling in their feet because of diabetes."

Failing a retest doesn't necessarily mean the person will never drive again, she stressed.

"Sometimes, it may just be a matter of some driving lessons," she said. "We all fall into habits that can be dangerous, such as driving too slowly."

"If one leg becomes impaired, for instance, you can move your car's pedals," Clark noted.

In other cases, drivers may keep their licenses, but with restrictions - driving only in daylight, for example, or only to certain nearby destinations.

"They won't drive at night, or in bad weather, or when traffic is heavy," she said.

"They are totally shocked when they fail their test," she said. "They say, `But I've never gotten a ticket!' "

Too many drivers are "in denial," agreed Dave Jacobson, state coordinator of the American Association of Retired Persons Driver Safety Program, designed to help older drivers understand and compensate for physiological changes that affect driving.

"It's very, very difficult to convince some people to give up their keys," Jacobson said.

In such cases, the DMV doesn't mind if worried friends or family members "make us the heavy" by filing a Driver Evaluation Request, Clark said.

"Relatives can feel real guilty about reporting," she said. "But I tell them something like, `It's a good thing that you've referred your mother. This way we can reassure you both that she still does OK, or give her some tools to drive more safely."

In her job as retester in a territory ranging from Coos Bay to Bend to Albany, Clark has taken some white-knuckle rides.

"I've had people drive down the wrong side of the road, fail to see pedestrians, even go up onto the curb and almost hit a utility pole," she said.

"I've had people with dementia lead me out into the parking lot and not be able to remember which car is theirs," she said.

Ernshaw called Clark "one of our best" at dealing with such cases, the kind of state bureaucrat who gets thank-you notes.

"Dear Sharon," one woman wrote. "Thank you so much for the caring and time you put into testing my mother. She still doesn't understand why she lost her driver's license, but she never will, and that's OK.

"Because of your kindness and gentle manner, she has so far come through it less angry than I was afraid she might."

Clark refers some challenged drivers to the AARP program (www.aarp.org). For just $10, participants get two four-hour sessions covering changes in vision, hearing and reaction time; medication effects and defensive driving techniques. Graduates of the program are eligible for state-mandated auto insurance discounts.

"You're in a group of your peers," Clark said of the program. "And they teach you techniques for safer driving. Say you have problems making left turns - they teach you instead to make three right turns."

For 15 years, the retired social worker has run "Driving Decisions for Seniors," a nationally acclaimed support group and consulting service for aging drivers.

"Ethel is a real good advocate for the older driver," Clark said. "But she also knows that continuing to drive is not a good idea for everyone."

Now 87, Villeneuve still takes calls - day and night - at 344-4381. She offers one-on-one consulting to those facing a driving-related crisis.

Sometimes, she'll share tips for self-imposed limits that allow the person to continue driving safely. In her own case, she no longer drives with passengers, saying they distract her.

Deep down, most people know when it's time to surrender their licenses, she and Clark agree.

"A lot of people, even with cognitive impairment, are very wise," Clark said with a sad smile.

The transition is easiest for people who've acknowledged this day would come and have prepared for it, Villeneuve noted. For instance, she chose a retirement apartment right on a bus route.

Clark has prepared a booklet on area transit services. It covers everything from Lane Transit District bus routes and the door-to-door RideSource service to programs in smaller communities. One example: Florence offers $1 local cab rides for seniors unable to drive themselves.

Taxis, a good way for nondrivers to continue coming and going on their own timetable, are too often dismissed as extravagant, Villeneuve said.

"I ask people, `Do you know how much you're spending on auto insurance? Do you know how many cab rides that would buy?' "

"There are a lot of people I've cried together with who have no idea how they're going to get around," Clark said. "They say, `I'll just have to go home and die.'

"And I say, `No, you can talk to the pastor of the church you've been going to for 40 years and let someone give back to you, for a change.' "

Features reporter Karen McCowan can be reached by phone at 338-2422 and by e-mail at kmccowan@guardnet.com.

Some signs that it may be time to take a driving refresher class, or to curtail or discontinue driving:

Your children won't ride with you or allow the grandchildren to ride with you any more.

I've known many older folks who made this transition, and I sympathize with the trama of this sort of change in their life.

At the same time, I have been terrified while driving by someone else's lack of driving skills putting others in danger.

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Because of the interest raised by the increase in road rage incidents, and I found the way driver review policy in this state is engineered as not to create the backlash of a blanket retest based solely on age, I tought it might deserve a posting.

The independence of people on a population with a rapidly rising median age is a germaine topic in this day and age.

Sorry if my posting this drives you to roadrage or sorts here. If I was wrong in my take on this being of interest, don't worry. Sinking to the bottom like a stone always cures a bad posting of no interest. Have faith.

Why is this even considered news?

Because there are a lot of old people, they all vote, and they all spend a boatload of money.

Every now and then, a story turns up on the local news about how, for no apparent reason, someone drove their car up onto the sidewalk, and through the front of a store. Invariably, the driver turns out to be elderly. When asked what happened, the reply is always the same: "the accelerator got stuck".

I think the National Transportation Safety Board should commision a study to find out why this never happens to 30 or 40 year old drivers - accelerators only seem to get stuck on cars driven by the elderly.

Yep...and an ever-larger group this is going to be.
I'm fortunate enought to still have both my parents still not only alive, but actually knowing who I am....Pop is 89 and voluntarily quit driving well before renewal at about the age of 80, due to Macular Degeneration. Mom will be 82 shortly, and she sort of sadly told wifey and I (after a Christmas driving trip to the Los Angeles area) that she doesn't think she'll make that trip anymore.

It's gotta be tough giving up that part of your independence, but it's got to happen sometime. In our case, we're relieved that it was voluntary on both their parts.

These retests are a good policy-I might cite the example of the local elderly woman who drove her car over barriers and into a local slough before she realized what she was doing. She ended up about 15 feet down at the waterline and was lucky the water was not really flowing.That's just one example,I'm sure everybody's got a story about their aunt Martha or Gladys.

I saw this happen to my maternal Grandmother, and it was not a pleasant situation. She never was a great driver, but by the age of 90, the thought of her peering over the dash of that thirty year-old Mercury Monterey frightened everyone in the family. The authorities were very reluctant to pull her ticket in any event, which struck us as somewhat odd, given the constant flow of safety speak from the gub'mint.

You've got to be kidding! You need to qualify to operate a 3,000 pound projectile that moves at 30 - 80 mph and will crush any human with which it comes into contact?

What a concept, personal responsibility.

When your lack of ability to control and operate a vehicle represents a threat to the health, well-being, property, and lives of your fellow citizens, you're damn straight you should not be allowed to drive!

Ask the people in Florida who live in constant fear when the walk the streets.

We need a system like this in Florida. With all of our elderly drivers, 16 year olds with rich parents buying them cars and drivers who can't read english to follow road signs it's amazing we don't have 1,000 people dead a year on our highways.

IMO, a person gives up their "right" to drive as soon as they put me in danger.

And how often has it been commented how drunkards and impaired-elderly get to their destinations without a dent, while leaving a path of devastation in their wake?

"the accelerator got stuck".

Ten to one says that the car is an automatic shift & they push down on the accelerator thinking they hit the brake.

Check my post #9: This person claimed the accelerator stuck. In defense of the elderly,my Grandma is in her 80's,and seems to be quite a safe driver although I'm sure her reaction time is not what it used to be.But she can see fine and pass the test.Her driving that big Caddy makes me feel she at least is a little safer than if she was driving a compact car.

so subject with me .....if you are paying thousands of dollars for your teenager to drive and then personally have never had an accident, but the insurance company "groups" them in with every teengager...well....and then to see people that can not even see past 20 feet driving with impugnity...

ever notice how AAA and other groups always seem to push thru legislation somehow restricting teenagers or costing teenagers or their parents more money...but those same groups are just lame when it comes to accountability of elderly drivers...

sure...its easy to pass restrictive laws on young people...they have no clout...but just ask that people say 75 and older take a drive test every year....LOOK OUT...

I found it interesting because there are a number of drivers who probably shouldn't be on the road and it is good to see that there are both government and non-government resources that can help people decide when it is time to give up driving. Having a mother who has gone through this, I can sympathize with those who find themselves no longer able to get around on their own.

There are a lot of things posted on FR I wouldn't really consider "news". But maybe it should be news when government performs what seems to be a legitimate function.

Age is not the only factor. I see and have to watch out for
some old and some not too old folks who were incompetent
drivers when they were in their twenties. It seems as they
age they get even worse.

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