When Should The Utah Elderly Hang Up Their Keys?

The rules on driving vary in each state but one thing that is a common concern is when the elderly should hang up their keys. 

Utahns often complain about out of towners, teens and just plain reckless driving. I have seen my fair share of questionable drivers and as tough as it can be, the elderly definitely can fit the bill.  

So, how can we Utahns help identify when our elderly should stop driving? 

Simply, it's a matter of the individual but there are some signs that can point to needing to limit or revoke a license. The AAA said that people are going past their driving prime by about 7-10 years. The elderly are also most likely to die or get injured. Excluding teens, the older age group has the highest crash death rate per mile.  

Asking grandma or grandpa to really see how they feel about their driving can be tough. No one really wants to have that conversation but for their safety and others on the road, it's important to do it.  

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that there were 8,572 traffic deaths with a person 65 or older. That number hasn’t been that high since 1975. 

The NHTSA provides several resources for how to drive safely with a medical condition and how to have the kinds of difficult talks I mentioned earlier.  

So, Utahns please watch your elderly and make these tough decisions with their safety in mind as well as others on the road.