The national poll shows most older Americans continue to drive: 84% of people 65 and older drive at least once a week and 62% drive most days. The survey, done in February 2025 by NORC at the University of Chicago for the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, included 2,883 respondents aged 50 to 97; a Michigan analysis used 1,353 adults aged 50 to 95.
Confidence in current driving is high: among those who drove in the last six months, 81% said they are very confident they can drive safely now, while 18% were somewhat confident and 1% were not very confident. When asked about the next five years, 43% were very confident they would be able to drive, 51% somewhat confident, and 5% not confident. Still, 54% of drivers 65 and over do not have a plan for when health changes make driving unsafe; women and people over 75 were more likely to have a plan than men and those aged 65 to 74.
The poll also examined how older adults manage without driving. In the last six months, 44% received rides from friends or family, 21% used rideshare services including taxis and app-hailed vehicles, and 14% used public transportation. Some said services are not available where they live: 5% reported no ridesharing and 9% reported no public transportation. Many drivers avoid certain conditions: 68% avoid driving under some conditions, 53% avoid bad weather and 48% avoid driving at night. Fourteen percent said vision issues affect their ability to drive, and smaller percentages cited other health or mobility problems. Only 6% had talked with a health care provider about driving.
Researchers and poll leaders say the findings point to roles for family, health professionals, community services, and policymakers. They note tools that can help, including vehicle safety features, public and community transportation, training programs from AARP and AAA, the Safe Drivers, Smart Options resources (with guides in English, Spanish, and Arabic), and the CDC's MyMobility Plan. Awareness of formal planning tools is low: just 16% were familiar with an advance driving directive, but after its definition 70% said such a directive was very or somewhat important.
Difficult words
- respondent — person who answers questions in a studyrespondents
- confidence — feeling of trust in one's own ability
- rideshare — paid ride service booked by app or phoneridesharing
- public transportation — buses, trains and systems for public travel
- advance driving directive — written plan about future decisions on vehicle use
- analysis — detailed study of data or information
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What problems can arise if a person over 65 has no plan for when they can no longer drive? Give examples from the article.
- How can family members, health professionals, and community services help older adults who stop driving? Mention items from the text.
- Which solutions mentioned in the article (vehicle safety features, public transportation, training programs, or directives) do you think are most realistic in your area? Explain why.
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