Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com

Holiday visits are a good time for boomers to talk with parents about driving, but they don't necessarily have to steer conversation toward taking keys away.

As drivers age, they become more attune to what they can and can't do on the road, according to data from the MIT AgeLab and The Hartford Financial Services Group. At the same time, they want to preserve their independence as long as possible, and that often means using a car to shop for groceries, visit friends and get to the doctor.

About 69 percent of drivers over 75 are most likely to "self regulate" their driving by limiting the amount and time they operate a vehicle. They are most sensitive to road safety when it comes to driving at night, in bad weather or in heavy traffic.

Among other age groups, 58 percent of those aged 65 to 74 years old limit their driving, while 53 percent of boomers between  50 and 64 will do so.

To be sure, safe driving is about ability - not age, said Jodi Olshevski, a gerontologist and assistant vice president with the insurance company's Advance 50 Team.

Some older drivers may be considered unsafe due to an underlying medical condition that, for example, compromises their vision or reaction time. That's why there's renewed emphasis on performing evaluations among older drivers to determine if they suffer any physical problems that limit their driving fitness.

"Recent public attention has focused on taking away the keys from older drivers, but we believe it's time to change that conversation," Olshevski said. "Instead, we should understand more fully what is required to keep older drivers safely on the road for as long as possible."

No matter their parents' driving ability, it's still hard for boomers to initiative the driving talk - especially during holiday festivities. Some are unsure about how long a parent with new medical or physical changes should be carrying car keys. Others worry that placing limits on their parents' driving will significantly reduce their independence.

Applying the Brakes
While the majority of drivers over 50 said they self-regulate, it's nearly impossible to pinpoint exactly when they will stop driving. But drivers over 75 years old are more than twice as likely to say they'll drive into their 90s as those between 65 to 74 years old.

Meanwhile, one in seven current drivers said they'll never stop driving, and 44 percent don't know at what age they'll apply the brakes once and for all.

"One determining factor is heightened awareness about driving skills - and changes in them - throughout a lifetime," said Dr. Lisa D'Ambrosio, a research scientist at MIT AgeLab. Anyone concerned about their driving should consider having an evaluation by a occupational therapist to better determine behind-the-wheel fitness, she added. These tests involve cognitive, visual and physical check-ups, including an on-the-road test.

"While 88 percent of adults have never heard of comprehensive driving evaluations, our research found them to be an effective tool to determine whether, and under what circumstances, an individual should continue or stop driving," D'Ambrosio said.

Insurance company experts said it's important to consider a comprehensive driving evaluation if you:

•  Feel your driving continues to be fine, but you want a professional opinion;
•  Aren't seeing quite as well as you once did;
•  Are experiencing slowed reaction time or have a loss of flexibility;
•  Have one or more medical conditions that may lead to a loss of range, flexibility or strength in arms or legs;
•  Have suffered a loss of peripheral vision, depth perception or other vision-related change; or
•  Have been told that you should stop driving.