April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to address how distracted driving can impact your elderly loved one. While many think of phone use as the main cause of distracted driving, there are several other ways seniors can become distracted behind the wheel.
Even if your senior insists she doesn’t use her phone while driving, other distractions can still pose a serious risk. That’s why discussing alternatives, like assistance from a home care provider, can be crucial in ensuring her safety on the road.
Five Common Activities that Lead to Distracted Driving
- Attempting to adjust or change the settings of a car-related control: Changing radio stations or adjusting the fan on the air conditioning may take a driver a split second to look away from the road, opening up the possibility of something suddenly occurring on the road that requires immediate attention.
- Reaching for an item: It can be reaching for her purse for a tissue, or trying to grab her sunglasses that just fell on the floor.
- Eating and drinking: While most people would acknowledge that trying to eat a Big Mac while driving down the road is dangerous, drinks can provide distractions as well. A cup of coffee may spill hot liquid on her lap, or a water bottle may tip over and spill all over the floor, causing her to look away from the road in front of her.
- Talking to a passenger: Even a simple conversation may distract your elderly loved one as she tries to drive down the road.
- Trying to see what happened on the other side of the road: Also called “rubbernecking,” it’s the act of slowing down and trying to see why there are emergency vehicles on the other side of the road. It’s a common curiosity that needs to be avoided while driving.
Other Age-Related Issues That Compound the Dangers of Distracted Driving
While not every senior faces the same risks of distracted driving, factors like reduced vision, impaired hearing, and slower reaction times can increase the dangers. Something as simple as adjusting the air conditioning while driving can become just long enough to miss seeing a car pull out in front of them.
Having an honest conversation with your loved one about your concerns for their safety is crucial. Home care services can provide a reliable alternative, offering safe transportation for errands, appointments, and daily activities, while giving you peace of mind about their well-being.
Providing Resources When Driving Feels Unsafe for Your Senior
No one should have to drive themselves around if they feel unsure about their ability to drive safely or navigate the many distractions of the roads. One sure way to protect your senior is to have someone else help with her transportation needs. While public transportation can occasionally help, having a home care provider help with your loved one’s transportation needs can be the most convenient and safest way to help her get to where she needs to go.
A home care provider will not only do the driving, but will walk to the door and help your loved one get to the vehicle, and then help her get inside the place she is visiting. When your loved one has transportation help from a home care provider, she gets safe and friendly service that protects her both on the road and off.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Home Care in Rossmoor, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
- Seven Indicators That Your Loved One Could Benefit from 24-Hour Home Care - April 18, 2025
- Creating Visual Cues to Support Independence for Seniors With Alzheimer’s - April 9, 2025
- Protecting Your Senior From Distracted Driving Mistakes - April 2, 2025
