Natasha Josefowitz writes the column ‘Doing It Better’ for the San Diego Community Newspaper Group. I was surprised last week when I renewed my driver’s license after five years that I was not asked to actually drive. All I got were vision and written tests. After all, I’ll be 88 on Halloween. A 94-year-old friend of mine just got her license renewed without any tests.
I just lost another inch, so now I’m now under 5 feet tall, and when I sat down for my test, the table was up to my nose, and the computer was floating somewhere above me. I was given a pencil and told to mark the circles with the rubber tip. I could barely make out the text and flunked. When I complained I had trouble with the computer, I was told that those in my age group could have the paper test. That was much better, and I only missed one. I now have a new driver’s license, good for another five years. I will be 93.
On Oct. 7, a 91-year-old woman meant to go forward on Girard Avenue but instead backed up and killed San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce vice president Melissa Bonney Ratcliff, 45, and had no idea what she had done. A friend of mine happened to be standing there and asked her if she was OK. She said she didn’t know what happened and hoped no one got hurt. She had no idea that she had just killed someone. As we age, we become less focused; this is normal. We get confused; this is normal. But it is not reasonable to continue driving under these circumstances. We all tend to do more than we are qualified to do; our strong desire for continued independence causes us to deny the truth.
I assume that due to lack of DMV personnel and the agency’s budgetary constraints, very few people must take the behind-the-wheel test when renewing a license. I suggest more self-monitoring for us older drivers. Try driving with a younger friend whom you trust to evaluate your driving without worrying about your feelings. If they have concerns, take them to heart. If you squint to see street signs, have trouble turning your head over your left shoulder to bypass your blind spot, run red lights, stop at green lights, drive too slowly, have dents and scratches on your car or get confused in familiar surroundings, stop driving. These are signs of impending accidents. You may save your own life and somebody else’s too.
If you have a parent, grandparent, or friend who you believe is unsafe behind the wheel, ask to have a serious conversation. It can be difficult and even traumatic to get someone to stop driving. This task often falls to younger family members who must ask a parent or grandparent to give up their car keys. This might cause a confrontation with an older driver who is reluctant to give up independence. In this case, the DMV can be asked to give the person a driving test.
For many people, taking public transportation is difficult, and taxis are expensive. There is a free transportation solution for older adults available with a one-time membership fee of $20; it is donation-based, your choice. On the Go, at (858) 637-7320, picks seniors up at the time they’ve requested (they usually need a few days’ notice) and delivers them free of charge to their destinations, so seniors can stop driving without giving up their independence and possibly save lives – theirs and others. Do it.