Depending on where you live, driving can be your lifeline- literally. You may need the car to get your essentials, go to the doctor or maintain your social contacts. And statistically, older drivers are among the safest ones out on the road. But chances are, as you age, the cognitive and physical skills you need to drive carefully may begin to wane. The question is, what are you doing to plan for that?

Surprisingly, according to a new study from the AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety, few older drivers are having conversations about this topic. According to the research, a shocking 82% of older drivers had not spoken with their family or doctors about driving safety. Given that there are 26 million drivers age 70 or over with current drivers licenses, it seems essential that as a society we begin to consider “driver retirement planning” the way we consider financial planning for our later years. In fact, AAA has created a “Driver Planning Agreement” to allow senior drivers and families to begin considering what may be necessary as a driver begins to get older.

These early discussions don’t necessarily mean the end of driving for a senior. They could mean vehicle modifications, adaptive retraining for driving skills, or other strategies to prolong safe driving. There is no one right time for an older person to stop driving, but there are warning signs that should definitely trigger conversations such as those outlined in this recent article. And, accidents can happen with real consequences for both the driver, other vehicles and pedestrians in the driver’s path. So buckle up and read more about what can happen, and how to have the “car conversation” Here.