Identifying & Reporting Unsafe Senior Drivers in St. Louis

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posted by Ted Ryan on March 20, 2014

In previous posts, we discussed senior driving issues such as starting the dialog, but what if you’ve done this to no avail. How do you know when it’s no longer safe for a senior to be on the road? Furthermore, what can you do if they refuse to give up the keys?

I recently heard from a client’s daughter who experienced just this issue. A resident of New Mexico, she went through the process of having her St. Louisan father’s license revoked and reported that the process does work. She was kind enough to share some of her findings.

If you have concerns about the safety of a senior driver in your life, watch for warning signs such as:

  • Forgetting to buckle up
  • Missing stop signs or red lights
  • Driving too slow or fast
  • Stopping at the wrong time
  • Stopping in a driving lane way ahead of a turn
  • Not staying in their lane
  • Getting honked at or passed often
  • Not using mirrors or turn signals
  • Recent tickets , accidents or near misses
  • Getting lost while driving
  • Not noticing walkers or bikers

Discuss concerns with your loved ones. Suggest speaking with their primary care physician and offer to join them. Perhaps they would benefit from an AARP Driver Safety Program.

You may find that it’s simply time for a senior to stop driving for their own safety and the safety of others on the road. Ideally, everyone will accept this conclusion, but that’s not always the case.

In this situation, it becomes necessary to report the unsafe driver. To submit a report, follow this link to the Missouri Department of Revenue’s website, where you may start the process and find other helpful information. For other resources, visit the Missouri Department of Transportation site.

If you have further questions, or would like to learn how SHC can help with transportation services, please contact us. Addressing an unsafe driver can be difficult. We’re here to help.

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