Few adults enjoy seeing the signs of aging. Our vision weakens, our hearing worsens, our reflex times slow down. Some people fight these signs of aging with glasses and hearing aids.

Others refuse to acknowledge there's a problem. When it comes to older adults and driving, this refusal to admit there's a problem can lead to dangerous and potentially deadly situations. No law mandates that seniors must stop driving at a particular age. But US driving laws do strive to strike a balance between individual freedom and protecting the safety of others.

If you are concerned about your own driving abilities, or those of your spouse, a family member or a friend, watch for signs of unsafe driving. These would include:

∙ Failure to follow the rules of the road (driving too fast or too slow, failing to obey traffic signs and signals, failing to yield to other drivers)

∙ Getting lost on familiar roads

∙ Slow reactions to common driving situations

∙ Failure to notice other vehicles, bikes, pedestrians and obstacles

∙ Traffic accidents and moving violations

If you see any of these signs, or think that a medical condition may cause unsafe driving conditions, talk to the driver in question, or ask their physician to talk to them.

The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that doctors evaluate a patient's mental and physical abilities in determining whether the patient is fit to drive and whether the patient has any impairments that would cause the patient to be an unsafe driver.

If a doctor believes that his patient is at risk, the AMA suggests that doctors first talk to their patient and his or her family about the risks of driving. If physical or mental therapy could help minimize risks, doctors will encourage their patients to pursue such therapy. They'll also work with the patient to come up with a modified driving plan, such as driving only during the daytime, and limiting drives to short, familiar routes.

If a patient refuses to take a doctor's advice, then the AMA encourages doctors to report the driver to the Department of Motor Vehicles. A doctor should tell his or her patient before making the notification, and explain to the patient that the physician has a duty and obligation to protect both the patient and the public.

In some states, physicians must, by law, report unsafe drivers to the state's department of motor vehicles (DMV). In other states, physicians are legally required to notify the DMV if a patient has certain medical conditions, such as epilepsy.