by Lana Stockton

Created on: April 24, 2009   Last Updated: May 10, 2010

Joe is ninety-two years old and still driving. His neighbor, Edna, sees every reason why he should continue.

Most evenings around dinner time, Joe pulls into Edna's driveway. He's there to check on his dear friend.

Edna, herself, will be ninety-three years old in a few months. And Joe is a gentleman. He stops by to see that Edna is ok, and does she need a hamburger from Dairy Queen. Yes, she does. And two coffees. Edna hands him a few dollars and Joe rolls out of the driveway, backing out into the busy main street.

Joe's nightly run to Dairy Queen takes about half an hour as he also stops to check in on two other elderly ladies en route. As can be imagined, the elderly women look forward to this nightly ritual. The loneliness of old age is alleviated for all of them.

With burgers and coffee, Joe slowly pulls into the driveway again. He walks slowly to the house to make his dutiful delivery. Once inside Edna's home, the two shout at each other for repeats on what each has said. Both hard of hearing, any onlookers would imagine an argument taking place inside.

Edna believes Joe is a good driver. Edna's son, on the other hand, tells tales of Joe backing out of the driveway at breakneck speed and nearly running down a pedestrian. Edna Pooh-poohs the story as not true. In actuality, both points of view are an exaggeration.

The truth is, Joe drives slowly, cautiously. But at ninety-two, his reflexes are no longer top notch. His vision? Only he knows for sure how good or bad it is. As far as the pedestrian he nearly ran over, there is a row of tall bushes blocking the sidewalk near Edna's driveway. Anybody would have missed seeing a person appear on the walk next to those bushes. That was not Joe's fault.

But how much longer can he drive slowly in traffic? How long can he realistically and objectively withstand the cars whizzing past him?

There comes a time when most elderly ones feel it's simply too much trouble to continue driving. Dodging other cars seems more strain on their nerves than they care to deal with anymore. Coping with the me-first-ism of younger drivers leaves older ones like Joe and Edna out of touch on the streets and highways. They were from a more polite generation where manners were considered, not only desirable, but normal.

Often, older ones hang onto their cars and driving routines as a last hold-out for independence. Giving up the car often means giving up their freedom. Not an easy change for older ones; or anyone for that matter.

So how old is too old to drive? As with everything else in life, there cannot be a chronological number placed on ability, stability and skill. Better to ask: how can it be determined who, regardless of age, is capable of being a reliable, skilled driver?

Which is more dangerous? An elderly man with failing eyesight and reflexes, or a car full of teenagers playfully fighting, jabbing at the driver, playing music, talking on cell phones and with each other at the same time? Neither situation is safe.

Rather than determine driving privileges by chronological age, privileges need to be assigned to those who show mental and emotional stability as well as the ability to control and respond adequately to their physical environment. Testing out these important criteria for each driver is far more important than asking a driver to turn in his license simply because he has reached a certain age.

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