Aging and Continuing to Drive Safely -

Details for Aging and Continuing to Drive Safely

ID:	6836
Author:	jackrlandry
Title:	Aging and Continuing to Drive Safely
Article:	There are many United States citizens that have been driving for many years. If you have been driving for a long time and you are beginning to age you may notice a difference in your driving skills. It is important that you are aware of what your body is capable of and what your body is incapable of. There are a lot of people that have to re-evaluate how they are able to drive as they get older. First, one of the most common problems that people have when they are driving and aging is that of being able to see. There are many different problems that come with not realizing how much your eyes are dilapidating. If you notice that you are not able to read the street signs as well as you used to be able to, if you are having a harder time seeing the lines on the street or if the glare of the lights at night are unusually strong and hurts your eyes you will want to make sure that you take care of your eyes properly. If you have noticed these problems you will want to make sure that you always wear your glasses when you are driving. Always making sure that your prescription is up to date and that you are wearing the correct glasses is very important. This can be very inconvenient if you break your glasses or if you lose your glasses. You should not ever drive if you do not have a pair of glasses with your current prescription. If your eyes have shown an increased sensitivity to the light when you are driving in the night you want to make sure that you do not tint your windows or wear tinted glasses while you are driving in the evening. You should not go out and drive in the late evening or even in the early morning. Your eyes will be especially sensitive to the light at this time. There may be a procedure that your doctor can perform on your eyes if you are extremely sensitive to the light. You should check with your doctor and see if you qualify for the procedure. If you are driving at night or in the early morning you have to make sure that you keep your windshield, mirrors and even your headlights clean. Anytime that you have your car inspected you have to make sure that they check your headlights. If you are shopping for a new car you should make sure that the dials and controls in your car are easy to read and large enough for you to work with. Your controls should also be set at the brightest setting. How high you sit in your car is also very important. You should always sit high enough to see at least 10 feet in the front of your car. If your car does not raise high enough you will want to sit on a cushion to make sure that you have that visibility. This visibility will also enable you to drastically reduce the glare that you see. You should also make sure that you have a rearview mirror that minimizes the glare. There are many cars that just require you to just push the mirror down. When oncoming traffic is approaching you should look at the lower right side of the road. You will be able to see the lines that will keep you in your lane if you look at this side of the road. If you are over 60 years old you should make sure that you have your eyes checked at least every year. Not only will it be good if you are worried about your driving but the doctor will also be more able to catch cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and even diabetic retinopathy. You may notice some physical problems as you are driving as well. There are some people that find it hard to move their foot from the gas pedal to the brake and others that are not able to look over their shoulder. If you are noticing these physical differences you will want to start taking care of them. The best way to do this is to visit your doctor and has him or her if you can join a walking program. There are many different facilities that provide these kinds of groups for the elderly. If you are able to join these groups you may be able to improve your physical mobility while driving. About the author of this article: jack landry has been involved in construction for the last 20 years. jack recommends traffic signs for your safety. contact info: jack r. landry jackrlandry@gmail.com http://www.interwestsafety.com
Category:	Business: Communication
Date:	March 26, 2010 04:03:04 PM

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