Mature Driver Safety
The Virginia Highway Safety Office believes it is vitally important to plan ahead and take steps to ensure the safety of mature drivers and everyone on the roadways. Resources are available for mature drivers and their caregivers to learn more about how to recognize and discuss changes in driving skills.
Safe Driving Courses
Several organizations in Virginia offer online and classroom courses geared toward mature drivers. The courses may help refresh driving skills and reveal new traffic laws. A driver may be required to take one of these mature operator's safety courses as a result of a traffic infraction, and successful completion of the course may be accepted in lieu of a conviction of the traffic infraction. In addition, some insurance companies offer discounts to drivers who successfully complete a mature operator's safety course. However, drivers cannot earn safe driving points by completing a mature operator's safety course.
GrandDriver
DMV, the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services and several other organizations have partnered to create the GrandDriver Program, to support mature drivers and their caregivers. GrandDriver provides tips for staying safe on the road.
Driving and Age
Drivers may be safe or unsafe drivers at any age. In general, young, inexperienced drivers tend to have the worst driving records, and experienced, middle-age drivers tend to have the best ones. In addition, driving skills tend to decline as drivers age. This decline is especially true of mature drivers who take certain medications or have conditions associated with the aging process such as vision problems, arthritis or Parkinson's disease.
To find out how to reduce your risk of injury from crashes and how to evaluate your driving skills, refer to Staying Safe on the Road or review the information on the GrandDriver website.
Drivers age 75 or older must appear in person at a DMV customer service center to renew their driver's license. Find out more at Shifting Gears: Keeping the Drive at 75..
Driver Fitness and Medical Review
DMV's Medical Advisory Board reviews an individual's ability to drive safely when necessary. Based on its assessment, the board may restrict or revoke an individual's driver's license.
For more information, refer to: