"Experienced drivers" need to know these things when driving! Do you have the necessary skills to drive?

Me: Coach, I think I parked crookedly

Coach: It's not that you parked crookedly, it's that the line was drawn crookedly.

The traffic lights at the intersection flashed red, but I still didn't dare to move.

Coach: Why don't you leave? There's no color you like?

Whenever this time

I envy the "old driver" who can drive

But actually, driving

It's really not true that the older you are, the better

Ability to operate a vehicle

Know the traffic rules

vision

Color vision (no red-green color blindness)

hearing

Limb function (neck, trunk and limbs)

Age (depending on the model, C license is 18-70 years old)

Cognitive function

However, as they age, the physiological functions of the elderly decline and their reaction speeds slow down, and the issue of elderly driving safety is becoming increasingly prominent.

It is not age itself that affects driving, but the potential risks brought about by physiological changes related to age or disease .

1

vision

Declining vision is one of the main reasons older people reduce or stop driving. Safe driving depends on your eyes collecting information about the road.

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As we age, our visual acuity decreases, and some older people may suffer from glaucoma or macular degeneration. At the same time, the brain processes information more slowly.

Older friends can go to a hospital that is qualified to conduct driver physical examinations to get an assessment to see if their eyesight is suitable for driving.

2

Cognitive function

Driving is a complex cognitive task for the elderly, requiring the driver to control the vehicle, obey traffic rules, and deal with complex road conditions such as lines, pedestrians, and weather.

Therefore, attention should be paid to whether the driver has a decline in functions such as attention, memory, spatial orientation, and person orientation.

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This applies not only to the elderly, but also to people whose functional decline is caused by adverse drug reactions, poor sleep, malnutrition, and psychological stress.

If a driver shows symptoms of cognitive decline, he or she needs to go to a professional hospital in time to evaluate his or her cognitive function and driving ability.

Whether patients with mild cognitive impairment should stop driving requires a comprehensive assessment and a prudent decision based on the wishes of the patient and his or her family.

For safety reasons, people with moderate and severe cognitive impairment should stop driving immediately.

3

Motor function

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Safe driving requires the trunk and limbs to coordinate complex movements. The elderly may suffer from limb pain, decreased body strength, decreased limb flexibility and other problems.

Some chronic diseases or medications may affect physiological functions and pose safety risks to driving.

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Common chronic diseases that affect driving include dementia, Parkinson's disease, brain injury, stroke , etc.

Drugs that affect vision, consciousness, muscle strength and other driving functions may affect driving. Common drugs that affect driving include some benzodiazepines, opioids, sedatives, hypnotics, antianxiety and depression drugs, antipsychotic drugs , etc. For details about these drugs, you can consult a doctor or check the drug instructions.

Driving is not only a meaningful daily life skill, but also reflects the meaning and control of life. The sudden inability to drive may cause physical, mental and social role discomfort for elderly drivers.

However, for the sake of safe driving, after evaluation with clinicians, professional medical institutions, and consultation with family members, it is recommended that elderly drivers:

Plan your transitional transportation options in advance

Identify and report unsafe drivers early

Ask someone else to drive for you or take public transportation such as buses or subways

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Author

Physician reviewing this article

References

[1]Louise C. Walter, AC, Current Geriatrics Diagnosis & Treatment. 2020: McGraw hill.

[2] Public Security Bureau of the People’s Republic of China, “Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driving Licenses”, 2021

Content Production

Source: National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (West China Hospital, Sichuan University)

Edit: 100% sweet

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty