The Road Ahead:
Driving Safety & Planning
for Adults 65+
What the 2025 National Poll on Healthy Aging tells us about how older adults drive, feel, and plan
For most adults, the ability to drive is deeply tied to independence, dignity, and daily life. Groceries, doctor visits, family gatherings — driving makes them all possible. But as we age, our bodies and minds change in ways that can quietly affect our ability to drive safely.
The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging (Nov–Dec 2025) surveyed adults aged 65+ across the United States on their driving habits, confidence, health impacts, and — crucially — how much they plan ahead for the day they may no longer be able to drive.
🚗 How Often Do Adults 65+ Drive?
The poll first asked how frequently respondents had driven in the past 6 months. Driving frequency among older adults follows a spectrum:
days
at all
Understanding why some seniors have stopped driving is just as important as knowing how many still do. The reasons are varied and often intersect.
🚫 Why Some Seniors No Longer Drive
Among those who reported not driving at all in the past 6 months, the poll identified several key reasons:
Safety & Health
- No longer considered safe to drive
- An underlying health issue preventing driving
- Temporary condition (surgery, injury)
External Factors
- No vehicle available
- No valid driver's licence
- Keys or licence taken by spouse / family
Lifestyle / Other
- No reason or need to drive
- Never learned to drive
- Personal choice or lifestyle shift
Indian Context: A Note for Families
In Indian households, it is common for adult children to take on driving responsibilities as parents age. While this is a loving act, it is important to have a frank family conversation rather than simply "taking away the keys." A planned transition preserves dignity and helps the older adult feel respected and heard.
🌧️ Conditions Active Seniors Avoid While Driving
Many seniors continue to drive but self-regulate wisely, avoiding higher-risk situations. The poll found these are the most commonly avoided conditions:
- 🌙Night driving — Reduced contrast sensitivity, glare from headlights, and slower dark adaptation make night driving the most commonly avoided condition.
- 🌧️Bad weather — Rain, fog, snow, and slippery roads reduce vehicle control and visibility.
- 🚦Heavy traffic — Multiple simultaneous decisions under time pressure challenge processing speed in older adults.
- 🛣️Freeways & interstates — High speeds and rapid lane merging become more stressful with age.
- 🗺️New or unfamiliar places — Navigation stress combined with driving demands can overwhelm cognitive resources.
Self-restriction is a healthy and protective strategy — it reflects good insight and judgement. If a senior has started avoiding several of these conditions, it may also be a signal to have a broader conversation about overall driving safety.
🏥 Health Conditions That Impact Driving Ability
The poll asked active drivers whether any of the following currently affect their ability to drive. Awareness is the first step to safety:
Physical & Mobility
- Arthritis limiting steering / pedal control
- Neck stiffness reducing ability to check blind spots
- Slower reaction time and muscle response
Vision Issues
- Reduced contrast and peripheral vision
- Glare sensitivity (cataracts)
- Macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy
Hearing Issues
- Difficulty hearing sirens or horns
- Reduced awareness of vehicle or road sounds
Cognitive Changes
- Slower information processing speed
- Difficulty with split-second decisions
- Early dementia or MCI (mild cognitive impairment)
💪 Confidence in Driving — Now and in Five Years
The poll measured confidence on two timescales: current ability and projected ability over the next five years. This dual perspective is important for planning.
Confident
Doubt
5 Yrs
The gap between current and future confidence is significant — and healthy. It shows that seniors are aware that driving ability is not static. This awareness is a foundation for planning, not a cause for anxiety.
🩺 Have You Talked to Your Doctor About Driving?
The poll asked whether seniors had ever discussed their driving with a healthcare provider. This conversation remains surprisingly rare, despite its importance.
Why This Conversation Matters
Your doctor can assess vision, cognition, medication effects, and reaction time — all of which directly affect driving safety. Many seniors take medications that impair alertness or coordination. A simple review at your annual health check can identify concerns early, when adjustments are still possible.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Driving
- Do any of my current medications affect my driving ability?
- Has my vision changed in a way that could impact driving?
- Should I consider a formal driving assessment?
- Are there specific conditions or times I should avoid driving?
- At what point would you recommend I stop driving?
🗓️ Planning for a Future Without Driving
The poll asked active drivers: "How much have you thought about what you will do for transportation if you are no longer able to drive safely?" The responses revealed a critical planning gap.
The poll also asked whether seniors had a plan in place. A plan might include:
Did They Have a Plan? Poll Findings
When asked whether they have a plan if they were no longer able to drive:
- Many active drivers answered Yes — they have identified at least one alternative
- A substantial group said No — they had not yet made any transportation plan
- Use of public transport and rideshare services in the past year was measured separately
- A large proportion had also received rides from family or friends in the past year
🏥 Transportation Challenges for Healthcare Appointments
The poll specifically asked seniors who drive less than daily whether they experienced transportation-related challenges getting to healthcare appointments in the past year.
Missing Medical Appointments = Missed Health
Transportation barriers to healthcare are a serious but solvable problem. Missing nephrology follow-ups, cardiology check-ups, or routine lab work can have cascading health consequences for older adults managing chronic conditions. If you or a loved one is missing appointments due to transport, explore solutions proactively — do not wait for a health crisis.
📋 What Is an Advance Driving Directive (ADD)?
The poll found that most seniors are not familiar with the concept of an Advance Driving Directive — yet the majority, once informed, consider it important.
An ADD is a written plan outlining your driving preferences in case of future health issues or impairments. Key elements include:
- Who you trust to help you decide when to stop driving
- Under what health conditions you would consider stopping
- What alternative transportation you would use
- Your wishes regarding keeping your independence
- A framework for family discussions — before conflict arises
- Not legally binding, but a powerful personal commitment document
Think of it as a "driving will" — a gift to your family and your future self.
How to Create Your Advance Driving Directive
- 📝Write it down — A simple document noting your preferences, trusted decision-maker, and conditions that would prompt you to re-evaluate driving.
- 👨👩👧Share it with family — Give copies to your trusted person, a family member, and your doctor.
- 🔄Review it yearly — Update it at your annual health check as your health and life circumstances change.
- 🤝Make it a conversation — The ADD is a starting point for open, compassionate dialogue — not a legal ultimatum.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
✅ Your Driving Safety Action Plan (65+)
- Honestly assess whether you currently avoid night driving, heavy traffic, or unfamiliar routes
- Review all medications with your pharmacist for driving-related side effects
- Schedule an annual vision and hearing test
- Talk to your doctor about whether any health conditions affect your driving
- Identify at least two transportation alternatives for healthcare appointments
- Have a family conversation — before a crisis forces it
- Research and draft an Advance Driving Directive (ADD)
- Explore local community transport options available in your city
- Consider a formal driving assessment if you or family have concerns
- Review and update your transport plan every year
"Happiness always along with life — not the end of life."