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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image by Mic V. via Flickr.com Disconnecting airbags is often a topic of discussion among senior citizens, particularly those of smaller height. Depending on the individual, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may recommend small and elderly adults to disconnect the airbags but not always. There are several factors to consider, as well as alternatives to try, before resorting to disconnecting the airbags.
When a senior citizen is riding or driving in a car, the first thing to check in regards to the airbag is the seatbelt. Is the belt fastened correctly? Is the positioning done accurately? The seatbelt should come just over the shoulder, not against or across the neck. According to ConsumerAffairs.com, using a seatbelt and keeping the breastbone of the senior driver or passenger at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel or dashboard will reduce the risk of a serious head injury in an accident by up to 85 percent. If the seatbelt is going across the neck instead of the shoulder, sitting on a cushion could help position it properly, as can moving the seat as far back as possible, while still being able to effectively make use of the gas and brake pedals. Proper positioning is the key safety factor in a vehicle that contains airbags. If the seatbelt is not positioned correctly, the senior citizen should ride in the back seat instead. If the senior citizen is the driver, the solution may be to disconnect the airbags, but only if certain conditions apply. There are only a handful of conditions that are recommended by the NHTSA for disconnection of a vehicle's airbags and even then, approval is required. Medical conditions approved by the NHTSA include, in certain instances, scoliosis, achondroplasia, and atlantoaxial instability. Medical conditions and situations that are not approved reasons to disconnect the airbags include advanced age, angina, arthritis, asthma, breast reconstruction, back or neck surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, eyeglasses, facial injury or reconstructive surgery, hyperacusis, median sternotomy, mastectomy, opthalmologic surgery, osteogenesis imperfecta, osteoporosis, pacemakers, pregnancy, scoliosis, supplemental oxygen and tinnitus. Also approved as a safety reason to disconnect the airbags is if the proper 10 inch positioning between the breastbone and steering wheel or dashboard cannot be obtained, even through alternative methods, such as using a cushion and moving the seat's position. Overall, it is safest to use an air bag with proper seatbelt positioning for the best protection in an automobile accident. Only in special situations and for certain conditions should the on-off switch be used to disconnect the airbags. It is generally safer to travel in a vehicle that has working airbags. While it may, at first, seem logical to immediately disconnect the airbags for elderly or small adults that may not always be the safest decision. Air bags play an important role in protecting accident victims from more serious injuries and even death. Before making the decision to disconnect the airbag for safety reasons, senior citizens should seek the help and advice of a licensed medical professional. A licensed professional will be better able to evaluate the medical risk factors and make an informed recommendation. For more information on disconnecting airbags for small adults or senior citizens, try your local Department of Motor Vehicle office. Many have brochures and other pertinent information, should you have a medical condition that warrants disconnecting your vehicle's air bags. More Traffic Safety Resources: Federal Highway Administration SaferCar.gov Auto Spectator
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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image by CapCase via Flickr.com As people age, they sometimes lose the ability to do things they once were able to do with ease. Driving can be one of those things. It's often hard for senior citizens to admit when they can no longer drive. They may feel as though giving up driving is like giving up their independence. It is difficult to tell someone you know and care about that their driving may not be up to par. Unfortunately, while difficult, it may become a necessary and unavoidable task.
There are many ways to initiate a discussion about driving with an elderly person that you are close to or a caregiver for. No matter which method is chosen, it should be done as delicately as possible, so as not to place blame on the senior citizen or offend them. Some may wish to casually bring up the topic. Others may wish to call a family meeting or schedule a doctor appointment, and allow the doctor to make the recommendation. If you are the bearer of news, there are a few things you can do to help ease the situation. At the same time, make sure that the older driver you are talking to takes you seriously. An example of a bad thing to say would be "Mom, you are driving really badly lately. You shouldn't be driving anymore." In this scenario, the mother could be easily upset or offended, which could have the opposite effect of what you are looking for. An example of a better way to approach the situation might be: "Mom, did you know that the new medication you're taking has recently been in the news for effecting driving skills? Have you noticed anything?" In the second scenario, the caregiver is informing the senior without placing any blame while expressing that there could be a problem. Also, the question leaves room for the senior citizen driver to think about the situation and a possible solution. If this type of discussion is not leading anywhere, you or another family member may need to be more direct and provide recent examples to the older driver. One scenario could start with "Dad, that was pretty scary the other day when you ran that traffic light at that busy intersection, wasn't it? Do you think it's time for a check up with the eye doctor? I know it's hard for me to see those lights whenever I need new glasses." Statements like this should lead into discussing the issue further with the senior. If the issue is still being avoided or denied, a senior's caregiver can also try making more blunt statements, such as "You know, I've been real nervous when I ride in the car with you lately, and I'm afraid to let the kids go anywhere when you're driving. You seem to be having a little trouble with driving, and I'm afraid for your safety and the safety of others. What do you think we should do to change that?" It is also a good idea to provide a variety of resources during the discussion. Many websites, such as AAA and AARP provide downloadable pamphlets or files. The solution may not always lie in taking away the keys or having the license revoked. With a little help from the right people and resources, some drivers can re-sharpen the skills they are struggling with. Sometimes all it takes is a pair of glasses or a specialty driving course. Ultimately, the main goal is to get the older driver to realize there are some problems with their driving skills and improve those skills or stop driving altogether. To allow someone who cannot drive properly to remain on the road is not fair to that person or others. *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image by Photographing Travis via Flickr.com If your parents haven't been the best drivers lately, you may be thinking, "Should I talk to my parents about driving?" The answer to this is yes. If you have any question about an elderly person's driving skills, it is best to address your concerns as soon as possible. Not doing so could be unsafe for that person, as well as pedestrians and others on the road. Your concerns could prove to be nothing, but when safety is concerned, it is better to be overly prepared.
The focus of the conversation will depend largely on the situation at hand. You may need to observe your elderly parents driving before you have a talk with them to get an idea of what you will need to deal with. For some, the talk will consist of a recommendation to get eyeglasses. For others, it may be more or less serious. If you suspect one or both of your parents have a vision problem, a driving talk may consist of making sure they have scheduled an appointment with an eye doctor. If they have not, you may need to stress how important it is during the conversation. Be sure to do this without saying something that is likely to offend. If one of your parents is doing things like stopping in the middle of traffic, getting lost in places that should be familiar or having delayed responses, there may be a medical reason behind the poor driving habits. In this type of situation, this could be very dangerous and the senior citizen should not drive at all until a doctor or other medical professional has given them clearance to do so. Another thing to consider is physical or mental disabilities. These also can fall under the medical category, depending on their severity. A talk with your parents in this driving situation could consist of recommendation to see a doctor, as well as a discussion of medical symptoms that could be causing the driving difficulties. "The Family Conversations" brochure, offered as a free senior resource from TheHartford.com, advises observing the driving of the individual over time and keeping a record of the data collected. Consumers who download the Family Conversations will be able to print a worksheet that is for this purpose. Some other things that can be found in the free brochure are observation tips, behavior warning signs, questions to consider if driving needs to be stopped and more. When confronted with the evidence, combined with the concerns of loved ones, it may be easier for senior citizen drivers to accept the situation. A gentle, but firm approach is best. The point is to make it clear that there may be some issues with driving, but you do not want to anger, offend or place blame on your parents. A sentence such as "Dad, you drive horrible. You need to get off the road!" is not ideal. More ideal, would be something like, "Dad, I noticed when you drove to the store today that you passed up a couple stop signs. That isn't like you. Is something wrong?" In the second statement, there is room for the senior driver to open up and talk about the situation. Yet, in the first, there is likely just room for arguments and hurt feelings. Talking to your parents about driving is not always an easy thing to do, but it may become a necessary one. When having the driving talk with elderly parents, it is easier if you come prepared with questions, concerns and even observation data that you have collected. by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Image by Treasure Tia via Flickr.com When a parent or loved one reaches a certain age, there comes a point when their driving may not be the best. At times, they do not realize it or want to admit it. At this point, it may be necessary to take away the keys to that person's car. It is vital to do this in the most sensitive way as possible. After all, this is a person you love and care about. This is why you are taking the keys away, to protect that person's safety, as well as the safety of other citizens. However, the senior citizen who is driving may not share your opinion. This person may believe you are trying to control their life for them and will likely think they are perfectly capable of making their own decision regarding driving. If you know that this same person cannot drive well enough to operate a vehicle, but the senior citizen is not willing to admit it or stop driving, this is where you will need to step in. Doing so can be very difficult and stressful for both parties involved. A senior citizen who has their keys taken away in order to stop driving may be trying to hold onto their independence. As people age, some tend to fear that they will not be able to take care of themselves. In their eyes, if they cannot drive, this may look as though they are no longer capable of caring for themselves. That thought is difficult to face for any adult. For senior citizen drivers, it can sometimes be worse because they may view this as a sign of old age, which some don't like to face. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, many cities around the U.S. are doing things to help make driving safer so that senior citizens who are still driving don't always have to get the keys taken away. In Troy, Mich., for instance, crash instances for senior citizen drivers were reduced by 42 percent when clearance intervals for yellow and red signals were modified. Interventions like this, and other traffic safety changes, could keep some senior citizen drivers on the road longer. Unfortunately, there are still cases in which allowing your beloved senior citizen to keep driving is not always possible. If you or a loved one has to face this difficult driving decision, think about safety first. If a person cannot see properly or there are other factors that make it difficult to drive, driving is not safe for this senior citizen or other drivers or pedestrians. Know when taking the keys is appropriate and necessary by observing his or her driving habits. That said, taking the keys is sometimes easier said than done. Aside from the fact that the senior citizen driver may be attempting to hold onto their independence, there are other reasons one may not want to stop driving. A person does not always want to admit they cannot do something or, at times, may not even realize it. Driving is something people spend a good portion of their lives doing. When they can no longer do it as well as they once could, they may not even realize it. In this case, there are services, such as the one offered at AAA in California, for taking a senior citizen to have their driving capabilities tested. This is more than just a standard driver test. These kind of services will test coordination, eyesight, reaction time and other factors that often contribute to poor driving by senior citizens. Some people actually prefer to have a middleman, such as a driving coach or someone from the Department of Motor Vehicles, perform the task of taking away the keys from the senior citizen driver. It may be better received from a knowledgeable source, and it takes the blame away from the loved one. Another option to consider is having a family meeting where everyone states their feelings. Hearing it from more than one close relative can be more convincing than just one person's thoughts. More On Senior Driving: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration National Transportation Library SeniorDrivers.org *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network |
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Lyn Lomasi is founder and owner of the Brand Shamans Content Community. Services include ordained soul therapy and healing ministry, business success coaching, business success services, handcrafted healing jewelry, ethereal and anointing oils, altar and spiritual supplies and services, handcrafted healing beauty products, and more!
Lyn is your brand healing, soul healing, marketing & content superhero to the rescue! While rescuing civilians from boring business practices and energy vampires, this awesomely crazy family conquers evil and creates change. They live among tigers, dragons, mermaids, unicorns, and other fantastic energies, teaching others to claim their own power and do the same. By supporting us, you support a dedicated parent, healer, and minority small business that donates to several causes. Profits from our all-inclusive store, Intent-sive Nature support these causes and our beautiful family! HIRE OR SHOP WITH LYN | CONTACT LYN Archives
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