Aging and Driving

The AP has an article on an issue that has affected both sides of our family over the last decade: When the car keys should go away. It's a tough one, but they mention a useful test of skills:

• Walk 10 feet down the hallway, turn around and come back. Taking longer than 9 seconds is linked to driving problems.

• On a page with the letters A to L and the numbers 1 to 13 randomly arranged, see how quickly and accurately you draw a line from 1 to A, then to 2, then to B and so on. This so-called trail-making test measures memory, spatial processing and other brain skills, and doing poorly has been linked to at-fault crashes.

• Check if people can turn their necks far enough to change lanes, and have the strength to slam on brakes.

In related news, Olivia takes her permit test in a week and a half. We're not looking forward to that, either.

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