Is there an age when you should give up your license?

In many cases, older drivers will start to lose their ability to react quickly or see the road clearly. While the changes in their health and abilities might come on slowly, there is usually a point when it’s time to give up driving.

AAA reports that there is a dramatic increase in the total number of fatal crashes per mile over the age of 80, though some of this may be attributed to an older person’s higher chance of suffering severe injuries in a collision. Considering this, know that there isn’t a specific age at which you need to give up your license as you get older, but you should start considering a few factors to decide when you need to.

Consider state law

To start with, you should consider state law to determine when to give up your license. For example, you need to renew your license in person and pass a vision test once you are 65 or older in Arizona.

Think about your health

Another important thing to do is to consider your health. If you are completely healthy, have no vision issues and are in good shape, you may be able to drive for longer than someone who is dealing with issues like macular degeneration or other vision or medical issues.

Have a conversation with your loved ones

Finally, a third way to know if you should or should not be driving any longer is by talking to your loved ones about your health and driving abilities. If they have started to notice that you make mistakes while driving or that you are prone to drive too slowly to accommodate for poor vision or other issues, then they may ask that you stop driving if you can’t correct those problems.

These are a few things to consider when you’re deciding if you should stop driving. There is no specific age at which you need to stop driving, but it’s beneficial for you to consider these different factors and to be vigilant about your health and driving skills as you get older to avoid accidents and injuries.