HARRISBURG — With nearly a quarter of Pennsylvania’s licensed drivers 65 years of age or older, the Pennsylvania departments of Transportation, Aging and the Pennsylvania State Police, along with the AARP, highlight the unique challenges faced by older drivers during Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, which is observed Dec. 5 through 9.

“Mobility is essential to quality of life at any age,” said Kurt Myers, PennDOT deputy secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services. “Many older drivers have a lifetime of valuable driving experience to draw from, and PennDOT continually seeks to balance the safety of our roadways with the need for independence and autonomy.”

Approximately 25% of Pennsylvania’s 9.1 million licensed drivers are 65 and older. In 2021, there were more than 19,700 crashes involving at least one driver aged 65 or older, which resulted in over 300 total fatalities. This represents about 17% of all crashes and about 25% of all fatalities.

“Along with the unique challenges already faced by older drivers, winter weather conditions, longer nights, and heavy holiday traffic create challenges for drivers of all ages,” said Lieutenant Adam Reed, director of the Communications Office with the Pennsylvania State Police. “Before getting behind the wheel be sure you are up to date on eye exams and understand how your prescribed medications could affect your driving. Remember to buckle up every time!”

While every person ages differently, aging typically brings certain — sometimes subtle — physical, visual and cognitive changes that could impair an older person’s ability to drive safely. Older drivers and their families should work together to identify potential issues that may affect driving, outline courses of action to assist the older driver, and plan for when it’s time to hang up the keys.

Signs that can indicate it may be time to limit or stop driving altogether include:

Feeling uncomfortable, fearful, or nervous when driving;

Unexplained dents/scrapes on the car, fences, mailboxes, or garage doors;

Frequently getting lost and frequent “close calls” (i.e. almost crashing);

Slower response times, particularly to unexpected situations;

Difficulty paying attention to signs or staying in the lane of traffic; and

Trouble judging gaps at intersections or highway entrance/exit ramps.

The Wolf Administration encourages older drivers and their loved ones to review PennDOT’s Seniors Driving Safely publication series, which can be downloaded for free from the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website. These publications help older drivers assess their abilities and offer guidance on next steps if their medical condition is reported to PennDOT. The series also includes a publication designed to guide family and friends of older drivers in what can sometimes be difficult conversations about deciding to stop driving, as well as information for healthcare providers on PennDOT’s medical reporting program.

For more information, visit www.penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/TrafficSafetyAndDriverTopics/ and select “Older Driver.”