Aging behind
the wheel
By MILES
JACKSON
Vineland Daily Journal, June 30, 2003
 James
Forcinito, manager of the DMV in Vineland, says ability rather than age
should determine if a person can maintain driving privileges. But at 70
years old, he realizes one day he may need to give up his keys.
VINELAND - Through years of enforcing traffic laws, James Forcinito
knows how aging can affect a driver's ability to operate a car.
The eyes dim. Hearing becomes dull. Turning an arthritic neck to look
out a rear or side window becomes painful and difficult.
But driving means independence for the elderly, especially in rural
southern New Jersey where public transportation options are few.
Forcinito -- a former Vineland Police captain in charge of traffic
safety and current manager of the state Division of Motor Vehicles in
Vineland -- has seen a range of emotions from people who must stop
driving.
As someone who soon will be 70 years old, Forcinito knows one day he
also will give up his keys.
That time probably is years away, if not decades. But Forcinito already
recognizes the aging process in himself.
"I find myself driving a little slower than I used to -- about 45
miles per hour," Forcinito said. "I'm not the man I was 20 years
ago."
Yet he believes ability, not age, should determine when someone is too
old to drive.
"Age is a relative thing," Forcinito said, echoing the views
of many traffic safety experts. "There are people who are 82 who are
better drivers than some 52-year-old people."
Forcinito's clear eyes, decent hearing and active lifestyle mean he can
continue to drive the sporty Chrysler PT Cruiser he bought last year.
Traveling the speed limit or slightly slower is a nuisance only for those
who are going too fast, he said.
But as baby boomers age and increase the number of older drivers,
traffic safety experts say deciding when it's time to stop driving will be
more important. One in four drivers is expected to be older than 65 by
2030. Some 600,000 people age 70 or older stop driving each year.
These numbers have prompted medical and traffic groups to address the
issue.
The American Medical Association will issue guidelines next month to
help doctors tell when older patients' driving is questionable.
The federal government recently earmarked $1.6 million for a National
Older Drivers Research Center to train more driving rehabilitation
specialists.
Sgt. Dave Cardana, head of the Vineland Police Traffic Unit, doesn't
think older drivers pose a problem.
"I review accident reports every day, and I don't see a lot of
seniors involved," Cardana said. "I know a lot of 80-year-olds
who are just as sharp as the 50-year-olds."
Police sometimes recommend older drivers for re-examinations for
medical reasons, Cardana said. Those reasons include blackouts, seizures
or problems with too little or too much medication.
"Another example is observations of motor skills during accident
investigations," he said.
Doctors should be the first to recognize declining in motor skills,
Cardana said.
"Sometimes doctors have more contact with a particular senior than
family members," he said.
Cardana's counterpart in Millville, Sgt. Matt Rabbai, believes older
drivers should be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Officers usually encounter senior citizens while investigating
accidents but could make motor vehicle stops for other minor infractions,
Rabbai said.
"They have to observe speech and actions as a basis for
recommending retesting," he said.
There is no process for revoking driving privileges in most states. But
one fact is clear -- older drivers account for more than their share of
traffic accidents.
People older than 70 are second only to teenagers in the number of
fatal accidents as a percentage of the population.
Drivers older than 85 rank higher than teenage drivers, according to
National Highway Traffic Administration statistics.
Most states, including New Jersey, do not require drivers to complete
training courses or undergo retesting because of age.
But the Cumberland County Office on Aging is at the forefront of a
national trend to offer training for drivers 55 and older.
Its course gives graduates an auto-insurance discount and frequently
shaves points off a less-than-perfect driving record, instructor Matt
Cyrelson said.
At 69 years old, Cyrelson is speaking from experience when he talks to
his classes.
One of the most important facts senior drivers must realize is that
they have the time to drive selectively and avoid situations that tax
their abilities, Cyrelson said.
Rainy roads, driving at night, navigating heavy traffic or unfamiliar
territory are all situations that older drivers frequently find difficult,
he said.
"Our senior years are supposed to be a time when we do things when
we want to," Cyrelson said. "So we can choose when to
drive."
When it comes to giving up the keys, Cyrelson talks to course
participants about what they experienced with their parents.
He also points out the money saved by no longer paying auto bills.
"Auto insurance, maintenance and car payments -- all that can add
up to thousands of dollars a year," he said.
Not all transitions to non-driving status come as easy, Forcinito said.
Doctors can recommend lifting a patient's license, but that patient can
appeal.
Family members can seek a court order but often end up alienating a
loved one.
"Everyone wants to live to a ripe, old age, but nobody wants to
get old," Cyrelson said. "It's a package deal."
Sometimes, fate intervenes.
At the request of a man's wife, Forcinito went to the couple's house to
talk about giving up driving. Knowing Forcinito's mission, the man left as
he pulled up.
Within a block of the house, the 93-year-old drove into a ditch,
fortunately without injuring himself.
"He walked back to the house and threw the keys on the
table," Forcinito said. "He said, 'Take 'em. I'm finished with
them.'"
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