Older drivers have been urged to “keep going” as long as they can — and it is safe to do so — amid an increased climate of aggression and speed on the roads and more complicated road layout systems.
Research has shown that older drivers — the classification is for those aged 55 and over — are safer drivers and are least likely to be involved in a collision, a conference on older drivers road safety heard in Tralee on Tuesday.
However, a lot of people did not have respect for older people complying with the laws on speed and other road traffic laws. Tailgating by trucks, and cars, horn blowing and other levels of “intimidation” were directed at older drivers for complying with the road traffic law, RSA regional road safety promotional officer, TJ O’Connor told the conference.
“Don’t get involved. Ignore them,” Mr O’Connor advised the 150 older drivers at the Rose Hotel, Tralee.
Over the last two years, people were travelling much faster, he said of statistics which detailed increasing collisions and road deaths.
Last year, 147 males and 41 females died on Irish roads and Saturday was the most dangerous day now on our roads, the RSA officer told the conference orgainsed by Kerry County Council’s road safety officer Declan Keogh — he is also the chairman of the Local Authority Road Safety Officers — the RSA, An Garda Síochána, and Age Friendly Kerry.
A lot of people did not have respect for older drivers complying with the law and his advice was not to get into conflict situations.
Road rage was a reportable offence, Garda Inspector Gary O’Carroll who is in charge of roads policing in Co Kerry confirmed and he urged those affected not to engage but to take registration numbers and report it to Gardai.
Last year, 36 persons, or 20% of the total number of those who died on Irish roads, were over the age of 66.
Among challenges facing older drivers were declining vision, reduced reaction time as well as medication which could affect driving and older drivers needed to be aware of this, the garda inspector said.
Older people needed to know their own limits.
Excellent engagement & discussion at our #olderdrivers #RoadSafety conference in Tralee today. A great line-up of topics from our guest speakers and panel discussion, and great advice from Anna May McHugh @NPAIE to the audience of older drivers. #roadsafety #safereoads #Kerry pic.twitter.com/j8VEnINUWQ
— Declan Keogh (@DeclanTKeogh) October 8, 2024
“Fear of driving” was also a factor for older drivers, Inspector O’Carroll said as road layouts were changing and could be complicated.
Limiting driving duration and stopping mid ways on long journeys was recommended along with regular health checks for eyes and hearing.
While not mandatory, An Garda Síochána encouraged older drivers to evaluate their driving skills and hosted seminars and workshops on safe driving for older drivers, he said.
“The road is for everyone,” the Garda Inspector said.
Driving was very important for independence and automatic cars should be considered by older people, the conference also heard.
Professional driving assessor Tim O’Donoghue said his direct experience of older drivers was that they are safer and more careful and courteous.
If they were thinking of changing their cars, they might consider an automatic car which made driving a little bit easier, so they could drive safer and for longer, he said.
There was also provisions in licences for restrictions such as staying local and off motorways and not driving at night — a more challenging time to drive — to enable older people to continue driving for as long as possible.
Former Kerry footballer Donnchadh Walsh, a physiotherapist with the Bon Secours hospitals, said research found people who drove were “more confident, more connected with their communities and have a better quality of life”.
Pandemic restrictions had seen isolation set in and had negatively affected confidence and quality of life, and this had economic repercussions too, Mr Walsh said.
“It’s in everyone’s interest to keep older people driving as long as possible,” he said.
Exercise was “the miracle cure”, and older people should be putting in 30 minutes of walking or cycling or dancing five days a week, in line with WHO guidelines, he said.
In a keynote address to the conference, Anna May McHugh of the National Ploughing Association and age ambassador for Laois, urged older drivers to keep going.
“Keep going as long as you can and never doubt yourself,” Ms McHugh, 90, urged.
People had to be careful with extra traffic now on the roads, she said.
“But you don’t want to be pushed out of the way either,” she said.
Declan Keogh, Kerry’s first full-time road safety officer, said, “It is important that every motorist is allowed to drive in a safe and appropriate manner, despite their age.
“It is also just as important that drivers continue to drive in an independent and comfortable manner, in the knowledge that they are a competent driver.”
