Older & wiser

You've turned 85 years old and are now faced with having to sit a yearly driving test - your first since your youth. If you rely on your licence as a means to maintain an independent and mobile lifestyle, our guide tells you what you need to know to help you stay on the move.

The assessment

The RTA will send you The Older Drivers' Handbook when you reach 75 years of age. At 80 years old, you are required to undergo an annual medical examination, then at 85 years old you must sit an annual on-road driver's assessment.

The assessment looks at your ability to drive competently and safely and it is up to you to convince the assessor that you can. If you do your homework you will be well prepared.

The preparation

The RTA will send you a letter when it's time for your assessment. It's a good idea to take a refresher lesson before you do the assessment as it can show you how well you drive under examination, what bad habits you may have developed and how to correct them. For example, some drivers almost stop when they should fully stop or forget to use mirrors and check over their shoulder before they turn or change lanes.

It's also worth making sure you're up to speed with the road rules as they may have changed. The Road Users' Handbook can help. It's available from motor registry offices or you can download it from the RTA.

The score

• A score over 85 per cent will entitle you to a full licence
• If you score between 80 and 84 per cent with no automatic fail items* you will be given a restricted journey licence, which means you may be limited as to the number of kilometres you can drive from home and when you can drive
• A score under 80 per cent is a fail, but you can sit the assessment three times all up. (If you do fail the first time, you may want to consider going for a restricted journey licence the next time.)

* Examples include if you don't stop completely when you should, exceed the speed limit or fail to give way.

How to continue to stay safe on the roads

Our ability to hear and see, as well as our physical and cognitive processes, start to deteriorate as we get older, which suggests that we may not be as safe on the roads as we used to be.

NRMA research shows that when older people are made aware of a problem, they are more likely to change their driving behaviour to compensate for problems associated with older age.

A few simple rules can be followed to reduce the likelihood of a crash.

• Plan journeys to minimise the need to drive at night and during peak periods
• Older pedestrians should avoid walking in poorly lit areas and only cross roads at traffic lights or pedestrian crossings
• If you're concerned about your health seek medical advice - doctors and family members can help you to monitor your driving capability.

NRMA Years Ahead Program

NRMA has developed a special presentation called Years Ahead - Road Safety for Seniors. This presentation lasts an hour and is free to senior groups in the community.

The program is currently available in the Illawarra, Sydney, Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Hunter, and the mid- and far north coast of NSW. For more information or to make a booking for your group call 8222 2164.

Health and Older Drivers

While age isn't the only indicator of your driving ability, evidence suggests the skills needed for safe driving diminish as we age, particularly after we turn 75. Older drivers take more time to integrate information from several sources at once, and therefore may respond more slowly in dangerous situations.

In addition, changes to muscles and bones are part of the reason for the increase in the crash rate and severe injury rate of drivers over 70. Arthritic joints and tight muscles slow down reaction time, while joint flexibility and bone and muscle strength also deteriorate with age.

Non-physical or less obvious conditions such as dementia may also affect a person's ability to drive safely. You should seek medical advice and give consideration to your ability to drive if you experience any of the following:

• Problems seeing things coming towards you from either side
• Trouble hearing the sound of approaching cars, car horns or sirens
• Difficulty stopping, turning or speeding up quickly
• Feel confused or upset when more than one thing happens at a time
• Become confused on familiar routes
• Mood changes when you are driving.

Options for older drivers

By Emily Bridges, Open Road, July 2005.