Learn about driving restrictions and specific initiatives aimed at keeping Georgia’s elderly drivers and highways safe.
In Georgia, there are over 1 million drivers over the age of 65, with over 620,000 being 70 or older. While the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) enforces a plethora of laws and regulations that apply to drivers of all ages and stages, the state imposes certain unique requirements and limits on senior drivers.
The Georgia state standards are discussed in further detail below, but many of them concentrate on recognizing and dealing with elderly drivers who may have become risky. Georgia, in particular:
mandates drivers 60 and older to renew their licenses in person every five years, requires drivers 64 and older to undergo a vision exam when renewing their licenses, and accepts requests for the DDS to undertake dangerous driving investigations from physicians, family members, and others.
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Georgia License Renewal Procedures for Senior Citizens
Renewal: Drivers 60 and older must renew every five years, while younger drivers may renew every eight years.
Drivers aged 64 and above must pass a vision test. Applicants who do not pass the DDS examination will be sent to a professional optometrist or opthalmologist, who will produce a Vision Report and submit it to the DDS.
If there are signs of driving impairment, a written exam may be necessary.
A road test is only required if there are signs of driving impairment.
License Restrictions That Might Exist
After conducting a driving test and discussing potential limits with the driver, the DDS may impose restrictions or conditions on his or her license.
The most prevalent limitation for senior drivers is the need for corrective lenses or glasses.
Other typical regulations that the DDS may place on older drivers in Georgia include:
No expressway driving, extra outside mirrors on a car, driving only during daylight hours, no passengers permitted in the vehicle, wearing bioptic glasses while driving, driving only automobiles with automated transmissions, power steering, or power brakes.
How to Request a Georgia Unsafe Driver Investigation
The Georgia DDS will accept requests for driver evaluations from family, law enforcement authorities, doctors, carers, vision experts, and anyone who have personal information that a person is physically or mentally unfit to drive.
Those requesting an assessment must fill out a Request for Driver Review form and submit it to:
Medical Revocation Unit, Georgia Department of Driver Services, P.O. Box 80447, Conyers, GA 30013
Reports sent anonymously will not be considered. However, anybody making a request may prefer that his or her identity be kept private, and the DDS promises to respect such request “to the best degree practicable.”
Doctors’ Reporting Obligations
Doctors who identify driving hazards or any disability that would leave a patient incapable of safely operating a motor vehicle are advised to notify the DDS.
Driver Improvement Programs in Georgia
Drivers may enhance their abilities by enrolling in an education and training session designed exclusively for elderly drivers; look for accredited driver improvement schools in your area.
Furthermore, the Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute runs a CarFit program, which provides older drivers with ideas and education on how to adjust their cars to changing requirements as they age.
How to Restore a Driver’s License
Contact one of the DDS Customer Service Centers that deal with license reinstatements for information on how to regain a license that has been suspended or revoked in Georgia.
How to Obtain Parking Placards or License Plates for a Disabled Driver
If a qualified physician verifies the condition, the Georgia Department of Revenue may provide handicapped person parking permits and license plates to drivers with restricted mobility.
Placards and license plates are available for people who:
severely hearing impaired unable to walk 200 feet without stopping to rest unable to walk without a brace, cane, crutch, another person, a prosthetic device, a wheelchair, or other assistive device severely restricted by lung disease using portable oxygen legally blind or severely limited in the ability to walk due to an arthritic, neurological, or orthopedic condition or pregnancy complications
The following steps must be taken in order to receive a disability placard or plate:
Fill out and sign a Disabled Parking Affidavit.
Section D of the form must be completed by a licensed physician, which includes licensed physicians of medicine and osteopathic medicine, podiatrists, optometrists, and chiropractors; the physician’s signature must be notarized.
Take or submit the original application to the Tax Commissioner’s Tag Office in your area.
Learn More About Georgia Senior Driving Laws
The DDS website has a plethora of information for Georgia drivers, including links to the relevant statutes and driving license handbooks in a variety of languages.
The Senior Driving website is particularly interesting, since it contains information about aging and driver safety, as well as connections to local services for senior drivers.