FLORIDA: State Looks At Affect Of Aging On Motorists
BRENT KALLESTAD - Associated Press

Posted on Sat, Mar. 13, 2004

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Tom Ray can no longer drive to his regular golf outing because the state decided he no longer sees
well enough to get behind the wheel. But the 83-year-old retiree still joins his regular foursome using a government-
subsidized bus service that could become more prominent as the state studies at-risk drivers.

"You have to be patient," said Ray, who pays $4 for a roundtrip. "You have to call them a day ahead of time. If you've
got to be at the golf course at 11:30, they'll pick you up at 10:30."

With nearly a quarter of a million licensed drivers over age 85 in Florida, state lawmakers are studying how aging
affects a person's ability to drive and what services are needed if an elderly person loses their license.

As of Jan. 1, anyone obtaining or renewing a drivers' license in Florida must pass a vision screening test. The Florida
At-Risk Driver Advisory Council to study aging drivers was created as part of that law.

"We all kind of notice when an older person is driving slowly and their head is down below the steering wheel, so
people recognize that, but it's important to know the facts," said Dr. Ken Brummel-Smith, chairman of geriatrics at
Florida State's College of Medicine and head of the advisory council. "The vast majority of older drivers, even into
advanced age, drive safely although the risk clearly goes up with age."

One of the program's goals is to educate drivers license examiners on recognizing when someone exhibits a disability or
difficulty in understanding directions. Brummel-Smith estimates about 5 percent of all drivers over 75 probably should
not have a license.

"The goal is to help people drive more safely," he said.

The study could lead to new legislation, at least creating some way to pay for additional research, resources to
educate doctors and driver's license examiners, and counseling for those who need to find new ways to get around.

The capital city offers one such program, Dial-A-Ride, on weekdays on a space available basis for people over age 60.
It provided roughly 55,000 rides with its 17 minibuses last year.

"We offer a lot of independence for folks who can't drive anymore," said Donna Peacock, who supervises the service that
began in the early 1980s. "They're still able to stay at home, but can have lunch with their friends, play bridge with
their friends."

However, Brummel-Smith noted that similar programs aren't universally offered across the state, especially in rural
counties, and that many of Florida's seniors are likely to use public transportation.

Ray, a retired clinical psychologist, failed his vision test a few months ago and lost his driver's license.

"I hated it and hated it," he said. "My wife is only a couple years younger than I am, but she's antsy at the wheel and
just doesn't like doing it (driving)."

But Ray has adapted rapidly and uses the city's service to get in his beloved golf rounds as well as keeping
appointments with his dentist and doctor.

"Most older people are very cognizant of their problems and very reliable in adjusting," Brummel-Smith said. "It's very
different than the 20 years olds."

Younger drivers remain far more dangerous. Nearly three times as many drivers age 21 and under are killed in car
crashes than those over 75, said Robert Sanchez, spokesman for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The odds for elderly drivers getting into an accident begin to rise after age 75.

Injuries from car and truck accidents are the leading cause of death in Florida for people between 65 and 74 and the
second leading cause of those from 75 to 84, trailing only falls.

Several high-profile accidents involving elderly drivers also cast attention on the issue.

An 86-year-old man killed 10 people last year when he crashed his car into a farmers market near Los Angeles. A few
days later a 79-year-old man crashed into a Flagler Beach farmers market, injuring three people.

California, Florida and Maryland are three states now looking at ways to assess older drivers to keep them safe or find
alternate ways of transportation. Cities that receive federal dollars for their transit programs must already provide
alternate forms of transportation for the disabled.

Memory loss and worsening eyesight are among the factors that create driving hazards among aging drivers. A decrease in
peripheral vision can be so insidious that a driver wouldn't be aware of it until an accident occurs. In the case of
some forms of dementia, drivers may not realize they're no longer safe drivers.

The effects from a stroke or Parkinson's disease can be debilitating as well as arthritis or apraxia, an inability to
put movements together.

Now, physicians and police officers are the most likely folks to refer drivers for retesting. But anyone can do so on a
confidential basis, Sanchez said.

In some cases, children will refer parents when they become concerned about their loved one's safety while driving.

But life doesn't stop for elderly motorists who have to give up their cars, at least in Tallahassee. A ride home on
Dial-A-Ride can take a bit longer while other passengers are dropped off, but it's a minor inconvenience compared with
being homebound.

"I'm learning more about Tallahassee than I ever knew even though I've been here for 50 years," Ray said. "It's been
several months now and I'm learning to live with it."

ON THE NET

AARP: http://www.aarp.org/fl

SOURCE: Associated Press / The Miami Herald, FL
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/8179153.htm

Reference:

Parkinson's & Driving Decisions
http://www.geocities.com/murraycharters/036.html

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