Locomotion : Dedicated to senior drivers

Earlier this week, the Republic Day holiday was once again used to commemorate Senior Citizens’ Day. Every once in a while, you may come across an older driver who is not moving along as rapidly as everyone else is, but we need to understand that they have been used to driving in a certain way for years, if not decades. 

Today, we consider a few of the road hazards facing older drivers and offer suggestions on how to support and accommodate them for the overall safety of all road users.   

A small but sizeable segment of the population grows past the senior age of 65 every single day – about 800 persons in Ghana for example – and many of them are still driving. 

In an ever-changing driving environment (evolving technology, more crowded and changing roadways and landscapes), the challenge for older drivers is more apparent than ever before. 

Those who are unable to cope often demonstrate their confusion on the road in the form of failure to stop at red lights and stop signs, straddling several lanes, improper left turns, obsessive honking and so on.

Driving is an expression of one’s independence, and if you have a parent or relative who is an older driver, there are many ways to help them to stay safe on the road and continue to drive for many more years.  

Much of this has to do with knowing their physical limitations and capabilities. These tips were originally provided by the American Association of Retired Persons. 

Remind them to monitor their health

They need to be aware of any health changes such as vision or hearing loss, memory and concentration lapses.  

Senior drivers need to keep up with regular checkups and exercise to help them drive safely.

Keeping a safe driving distance

Senior drivers need to use the five-second rule when following another car, so they can have time to react to any potential hazards and surprises. 

They also need to have enough space around the vehicle so they can have room to manoeuvre, whether it is on the road or in a parking lot.

Avoiding distractions  

Anything that takes their eyes off the road is a distraction; these include cell phone use, eating, glancing at the newspaper and adjusting the radio.

Self-regulation  

Senior drivers should avoid driving during rush hour, at night, or in challenging weather conditions.  They should continue to keep running their errands and appointments, but ensure that they travel in daylight and at less busy times.

Observing Stop signs

At Stop signs, all drivers should scan left and right before proceeding. If you are behind another car, wait a couple of seconds until they proceed through the sign before you take your turn to move forward.

Keeping up with medication 

Senior drivers need to ascertain from their doctor or pharmacist if medications they are taking could have an effect on their ability to drive.

Awareness of surroundings 

Bikes, motorcycles, and pedestrians can add more challenges to driving.  Senior drivers need to make a special effort to be extra vigilant at intersections and when merging from a minor road into a busier road. 

Our fuel supply issues

The topic of senior drivers was selected months ago, obviously to coincide with the holiday and its significance, but events over the past few days just cannot pass without comment. 

The burning issue for Ghanaian motorists now is that there is literally no fuel to burn. 

In times like these, I would have switched my subject focus to the current issue at hand, sharing ideas on when and where to buy, how to conserve the little petrol you have in your vehicle and how to consider alternative means of powering your vehicle. 

On this particular occasion though, I am at as much a loss for words as anyone else. This crisis was so avoidable that no-one thought the authorities would actually sit by and let it happen in exactly the way that it was predicted to happen. 

Now that the supplies have been restored to an extent, we hope the lessons have been learnt and that the authorities will learn to distinguish between politics and economic reality. 

This is not some local commodity like shea butter or palm kernel oil. Crude oil is an internationally traded commodity, and unless we have some very deep pockets to subsidise the product, shortages such as these will always catch up with us if the politics of convenience is allowed to distort otherwise sensible pricing approaches. 

These shortages must not be allowed to occur ever again. 

To be continued...