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Healthy Driving

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Healthy Driving

Retiring from driving

Acknowledgment: This section has been developed by DVA Senior Medical Adviser using information from 'Retiring from Driving' published by Monash University Accident Research Center for the Council of the Ageing (ACT).

Recognising the signs

You probably know someone who shouldn't be driving, but still is. How do you know when to give up yourself? Answering this is difficult. Driving is a complicated task requiring continuous concentration. It is ability - not age - that determines safe driving. No one should stop driving before his or her ability to do so has diminished.

In the end, you may give up driving for one of many reasons. Everyone is different. It may be a medical condition that makes you decide to stop, or you may feel that you cannot drive safely any longer. Maybe it's pressure from your friends and family who can see signs that your driving skills are deteriorating.

We will all have to stop driving one day!

Preparation and planning for stopping driving is important. If you are a carer for someone, or know yourself that you will have to stop driving sometime in the near future, preparation for that day will make it a lot easier. Talking about the grief and loss that comes with the loss of one's licence, researching and finding out what alternatives are available and starting to use these alternatives will help make the transition easier.

You can do a number of things to plan ahead for your 'retirement' from driving. These include:

Become familiar with public transport
Try to live close to public transport
Live near family, social networks and medical services
Get some advice - GP, occupational therapist
Look into community transport services
Share the driving
Changing driving patterns
Holiday travel - take a bus, a train or fly
Travel with friends to share the driving.

Alternatives

Instead of driving there are many other alternatives:

Public transport - buses, trains, ferries
Community transport - contact your local council to see what services they provide
Friends and family
Taxis
Home delivery services for groceries and other goods.

Although these options may seem expensive, you need to consider how often you use your vehicle and what the cost of maintaining your vehicle including petrol, registration, servicing and repairs. Compare these costs to the price of taking a taxi or the bus over a year and you will see that keeping a car is very expensive.

Taxi vouchers (usually income tested) may be available for eligible seniors in some states. DVA provides financial assistance for eligible veterans for transport to necessary medical appointments.

For more information on retiring from driving contact COTA (the Council on the Ageing) in your state - it is listed in your white pages. COTA has developed a number of publications of information tools about driving safety for older people.

Where can I go for help?

Your GP - talk to your GP about your ability to drive safely. They may refer you to have your ability to drive assessed by a driver assessment consultant.
Your optometrist/ophthalmologist - regular eye checks are very important to make sure your vision is okay for driving
Your state licensing authority can provide you with information regarding license conditions/restriction, road rules and driving safety.

State licencing authority

NSW - Road Traffic Authority (RTA)
Head Office
PO Box K198
Haymarket NSW 1238
Phone: 132 213
Website: www.rta.nsw.gov.au

VIC - VicRoads Information Services
PO Box 1644N
Melbourne VIC 3001
Phone: 13 11 74
Website: www.vicroads.vic.gov.au

QLD - Queensland Transport
Phone: 13 23 80
Website: www.transport.qld.gov.au

WA - Department of Planning and Infrastructure
Phone: 13 11 56
Website: www.dpi.wa.gov.au

NT - Department of Infrastructure, Planning and the Environment
GPO Box 2520
Darwin NT 0801
Phone: +61 8 8999 5511
Fax: +61 8 8924 7200
Website: www.nt.gov.au/ipe/dtw

TAS - Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources
Transport Division
GPO Box 936
Hobart TAS 7001
Phone: 13 11 05
Website: www.transport.tas.gov.au

SA - Transport SA
Locked Bag 2
Station Arcade
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: 1300 360 067
Website: www.transport.sa.gov.au