A dear friend was injured in a head-on collision three weeks ago by an 88-year-old man whose car had crossed into her lane. Both cars were totaled and both she and he spent time in the hospital. She has a fractured arm, and we all know that means she can do very little for herself right now.

Beginner drivers may get a provisional license in Oregon at age 16 and an unrestricted one at age 18. We also need rules for people at the outer age limit. But removing keys from an elder is just as contentious as Social Security being scaled back. As we age, there comes a time when we simply need to decide we cannot safely drive any longer.

After age 65, the DMV requires a driver to renew their license in person and pass a vision test. Additionally, in Oregon there is an “At Risk Driver Program” that mandates that a physician report a patient who has cognitive impairment, visual acuity/field loss, memory loss and contemplation of suicide. Family members and concerned citizens may also submit a report. And yes, reporter identity is protected.

You can find the one-page DMV form to report at Oregon.gov/odot.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that in 2022, there were almost 52 million licensed drivers ages 65 and older in the United States and a whopping 77 percent increase since 2004. Many should not be driving due to issues that come with age: delayed responses, inattentiveness or distractions, even dementia. Yes, there are drivers out there with dementia. I know them; you know them.

In 2022, about 9,100 older adults were killed in traffic crashes, and over 270,000 were treated in emergency departments for crash injuries. This means that each day, 25 older adults are killed and over 740 are injured in crashes.

Drivers aged 70 and older have higher crash death rates per 1,000 crashes than middle-aged drivers (aged 35-54), primarily due to increased vulnerability to injury in a crash, according to the CDC. The leading edge of the Baby Boomers (those born in 1946) are now 80 years old and still believe they are invincible, just as they did in 1964. But we are living much longer, some with disabilities.

The solution, of course, resides with each individual deciding to take a very hard look at their abilities and the possibility of them killing someone else on the road.

Here are some choices, starting with free and moving to paid rides:

• The bus — which is free for over 65s and can be obtained by going to the LTD bus station to get it. (I take the bus from time to time. It is convenient, clean and safe.)

• If able, you can walk or bike and you get exercise to boot.

• Hire a friend to drive you around on certain days. That gives them some extra cash and you a ride.

• RideSource ADA Paratransit, run by Lane Transit, costs $3.50 one way and you can book in advance if eligible.

• Uber, Lyft or a taxi (I checked the price of an Uber ride from Delta Oaks in north Eugene to the top of Chambers and 34th, and one way it was about $15.)

 We are spoiled for choices here — it’s a question of doing a bit of research and trying these out. We might be a little inconvenienced. So what?

Circling back to the accident mentioned above: There are medical costs which can be in the thousands of dollars. As an insurance agent, I used to ask my Medicare clients: “Would you rather hire someone to clean your roof for $100 or get on a ladder yourself, end up in the hospital with broken body parts, a big bill and possibly never fully recover?” 

But, hey — we are Boomers and invincible. Thing is: It’s not just about us anymore — it’s about the people we can injure or kill and others who depend on us.

So, let’s try alternate forms of transportation. Considering in 2022 the average cost of owning and running a car was over $10,000 per year, according to the American Automobile Association. That’s a lot of Uber rides. 

Kim Kelly is a (mostly) retired insurance agent from Eugene who coordinates Eugene Weekly’s Garden Palette gardening column.