Some people might argue that compelling older Australians to complete a driving evaluation for seniors is a form of age discrimination, but it is anything but. Just like exams to test the ability of those with disabilities, the aim of these tests is to determine if the ability to operate a car has diminished in any way due to old age.
The following will discuss the important reasons that justify why you need to complete a driving evaluation for seniors.
1. Protecting people
Of course, the main function of a driving evaluation for seniors is to determine if they can safely use a car and share the road with others, including pedestrians. It is no secret that motor skills and reaction time can be affected by old age, and someone who is 80 years old is unlikely to react to situations as quickly as someone who is 25 – this is just fact.
There are many things that extreme age has an effect on, and using a car is one of them. There is a certain point when deterioration of senses (like eyesight) and physical ability (speed of limbs) will have a noticeable effect on using a car.
While the elderly person might not perceive a problem, other road users will. In order to avoid accidents (and injury and death resulting from them), it’s essential that driving evaluation for seniors take place.
It only takes one small error on the road to cause a chain of events that lead to disaster. Road safety requires everyone to be operating at a minimum standard of ability – if someone slips through this standard than they can unintentionally put everyone else on the road at risk.
2. Finding solutions
Of course, a driving evaluation for seniors is not about denying people from using a car but helping to find out what issues there may be and entertaining solutions. There is a myriad of ways that an elderly person can have their vehicle modified to make using it safer and easier for them.
This can give those who are advancing into old age a way to continue enjoying the independence of using a car without posing any unnecessary risk. There are many different kinds of modifications that can be made to make using care safer and more convenient for seniors who may have had their ability degenerate in some way.
3. Ensure their maintain their dignity
While going through a driving evaluation for seniors may feel like an undignifying experience for an adult who has used a car their whole life, it is less dignified to get into an accident caused by old age. Getting elderly people to participate in this process means they can maintain the dignity of using a car with full confidence and put to bed any concerns that others may have about their ability.
If it turns out their ability has been affected, then the driving evaluation for seniors will maintain their dignity by helping them avoid an accident occurring that would be embarrassing for them. Even a minor accident that an elderly person is involved with won’t be easily forgiven by others affected by it, as they will complain that the person should have known they were getting too old to use a car safely.
Of course, young people can and do get into accidents all the time, but this is less than elderly people. This explains the importance of using a driving evaluation for seniors.
As you can see, there are many good reasons to have a driving evaluation for seniors to take place. It helps to keep everyone safe on the road.