Elder Care: Safe Driving During the Winter

It may be March, but winter isn’t quite over just yet. With more than a foot of snowfall in the Midwest in the last week, wintry conditions are still here and they provide headaches for those venturing outside of their homes.

For the elderly, driving can already be a challenge with decreased vision and reaction time. With snow, ice and sleet, driving becomes more difficult, but there are ways that adult children caring for elderly parents, professionals providing elder care and, of course, seniors themselves can stay safe on the road.

According to AAA, the best advice is not to drive at all in these hazardous conditions. But if you do, here are some tips that will keep you safe:

Preparing your vehicle• Clear all snow and ice from the vehicle’s windows, roof, trunk lid and any other covered areas. This will reduce risk because it enhances visibility.• To optimize visual clarity, clean the outside and inside of your windshield at least once a week. Frequent cleaning is even more important if you smoke.• Keep your car’s windshield and rear-window defrosters in good working condition.• Keep your windshield wiper blades fresh. Many drivers change them every six months.

On the road• Make sure your headlights are on. In fact, it is a good idea to turn on your headlights any time you drive, because you will be more visible to other drivers in any conditions.• Reduce your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the vehicle in front of you.• Brake gently to avoid skidding.• Do not use cruise control on icy roads.• Be aware of possible icy areas. Be especially careful on bridges and overpasses, which freeze sooner than roads.• Be careful on infrequently traveled roads, which may not be cleared as often as other roads.

Leaving the roadwayIf you must pull off the road, wait for conditions to improve and pull off the road as far as you can, preferably past the end of a guardrail.It is best to pull into a rest area or parking lot, rather than on the road’s shoulder.

Find Quality Care Now Locate a BrightStar Near You!

Find a location in Canada

Find a location in the US

Click to edit Master title style

• Click to edit Master subtitle style

9