Driving wellness for older adults by Nancy Ceridwyn, M.S., M.Ed.

By 2020, more than 40 million Americans ages 70 or older will be licensed drivers. Not only will more older people drive than ever before, they also will drive more miles per year and at older ages than previous generations.

Baby Boomers have long enjoyed the freedom to drive their cars for work and for pleasure, and most likely they will continue to use them as they age. Also, many older adults rely heavily on the automobile for transportation: they have moved out of urban areas or raised families and aged in suburban or rural communities away from other transportation choices.