When is right time to give up the keys?

Brad Nettles
The Post and Courier

Austin Holt, 82, keeps his driving skills fresh by teaching a driving course for seniors.

Brad Nettles
The Post and Courier

Two years ago, Mount Pleasant police officer Chad Barton was parked on the Ravenel Bridge watching for speeders when his squad car was hit by a car whose driver was well into his 80s.

"One of the things he said was, 'I guess I should have listened to my children,' " says Barton, who is now with the Sullivan's Island Police Department. "He had no clue where he was. I felt sorry for him, but he was a prime example of someone who should not have been operating a motor vehicle."

More than 37,000 of South Carolina's 3.1 million drivers in 2006 were 85 or older, according to the S.C. Department of Public Safety. Nearly 480,000 were at least 65.

And with an aging population, the prediction is that by 2030, a quarter of the people behind the wheel will be at least 65, according to AAA.

As the population ages and people live longer, more active lives, driving has become a symbol of freedom, independence and self-sufficiency.

"I fall in that category of people who are very vain about their driving," says Austin Holt, 82, of North Charleston. "I am assuming I'm going to drive forever. That's the attitude that most of us have."

There is no particular age at which people should quit driving, experts say.

"You shouldn't automatically say, 'You're 70, you can't drive anymore,' " says Barton, who also owns the Summerville branch of 911 Driving School, a national franchise owned and operated by current and retired police officers.

The S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles requires drivers older than 65 to renew their licenses in person, a process that requires an eye test, and renewals are every five years instead of the 10 years allowed for younger drivers.

"Driving has nothing to do with age," Holt says. "It's attitude and health and mental acuity."

Driving difficulties

As people age, their vision and hearing decline, reaction times slow and they become less agile and less mentally aware. In addition, medication can affect performance.

In a recent survey, AAA found that 43 percent of motorists over age 55 suffered from at least one driving-related difficulty commonly caused by aging.

Even so, many seniors are reluctant to give up their keys.

"We have had children who were quite worried about their parents ask what they can do to get them to stop driving," says Shirley Pinnacle, manager of rider operations for ITNCharlestonTrident. "I've always told them that I know it is hard because I've been in that situation with my own father. I reassure them that safety is far more important than anything."

ITNCharlestonTrident is a nonprofit group that provides transportation for people 65 and older and the visually impaired (see box). Since opening in November 2006, the group has provided more than 8,000 rides in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.

"It's a very touchy subject," Barton agrees. "A lot of people put it on the back burner and don't think much about it. In reality, you should pay attention to the driving habits of your parents so you will know if you need to intervene."

He says to take into consideration a person's driving patterns, especially if there have been recent tickets or accidents.

"It can be kind of awkward because it's kind of reversing roles of the family," Barton says. "Your parents used to give you advice, and now, you're giving your parents advice."

Barton says to approach the subject gently.

"The best advice I can give is, don't be accusatory," he says. "Be sincere. Try to get support from additional family members and doctors. I find if you sit with someone and give an example — 'How would you feel if you killed someone's grandchild?' — people are usually reasonable."

Holt agrees with taking a careful approach.

"Start conversations from a standpoint of your concern," he says. "Say, 'I'm concerned about your driving,' not, 'You're no longer a safe driver.' "

There can be some steps between driving and not driving at all. Compromises could be to drive only during the day or to avoid rush hour or busy roads.

In addition, driver-training courses can help refresh an older driver's skills and teach him how to compensate for aging.

"You don't have to say, 'We're taking away the keys and you're not driving,' " Barton says. "Consider different options that aren't as severe. If you take away someone's independence, it can cause them to become isolated or depressed."

Education, preparation

Holt, a volunteer teacher for the AARP Driver Safety Program for nearly seven years, says classes can make older drivers aware of the need to regularly assess their skills and plan for the day they no longer can drive.

He says he has taken two steps to prepare: teaching the class and making a pact with his children.

"I expose myself to the idea every time I teach a class," he says. "And I have made a covenant with my kids that if they determine that I'm becoming a threat on the road to other people or myself, I will take their word and quit. As it is now, I don't think I'm showing any signs. I still feel I'm in pretty good health."

Holt says he's had students decide to give up their license after taking a class.

"I had a gentleman in his 80s, and he said he was taking the class because everybody said he should stop driving and he thought the class would help him decide," Holt says. "After the class, he told me he decided to devote himself to his three-wheeled bicycle from now on."

It's not always that easy, though.

Holt says a couple once asked how to stop her elderly father from driving. During a class discussion, someone suggested taking the keys away.

"She said, 'We've done that. He just goes out and buys a new car,' " Holt says.

If a senior refuses to quit driving, you might need to take stronger steps, such as disabling the car or enlisting the help of the local police.

"You have to have documentation of why you think the person shouldn't drive," Barton says. "You can't just show up and say you want your mom or dad retested."

He says law enforcement officers can submit a form to the Department of Motor Vehicles if they believe the person is a danger to himself or others, and that will require the person to be retested.

"What it boils down to," he says, "is lifestyle vs. safety."

Brenda Rindge can be reached at 937-5713 or brindge@postandcourier.com.