As they get older, people stop driving for a variety of reasons.
Adjusting to life without a car doesn't mean losing your independence and freedom.
The key is to plan for your future transport needs now, so stopping driving isn't a big problem later.
Many people cope very well when they stop driving. Solutions might include:
- Getting lifts from family or friends
- Using taxis
- Using public transport
- Walking more often
- Using a mobility scooter
- Keeping your car so it's easier for others to give you lifts
- Moving to an area with better access and transport services
Different solutions suit different people, depending on their circumstances and needs.
Plan now to make life easier
A bit of simple planning can help you make the transition to using other kinds of transport.
Here are some things to think about:
Where you live
How close are you to friends, family, shops, doctors and groups you belong to? Will they all be easy to reach without a car? Is your neighbourhood easy to walk around? Are there good bus and taxi services available?
Activities you need and enjoy
What essential services, like weekly shopping trips or doctor's or hospital visits, will you need transport for? What about recreation activities, like visiting friends, playing golf, or going fishing, doing voluntary work, going to a park or a show, or attending church or clubs?
Community transport
Is community transport available in your area? Do retirement villages in your area provide transport services?
Friends and neighbours
Who else do you know who has stopped driving, or might stop driving soon? Talk about the possibilities for things like sharing taxi rides or lifts with family and friends.
Possible solutions
Moving house
Moving house might be an option if you need to live in a flatter area, in an area with good public transport, or somewhere close to friends, family, and essential services.
Getting lifts from family and friends
This works well for many people, but you may find it helpful to use other kinds of transport as well. Using a mix of solutions is good, especially if you don't like asking for a lift too often.
Using taxis and public transport
Taxis and public transport can be excellent ways to get about easily. How useful these solutions are to you will depend on how regular and reliable services are, and whether access into and out of buses is good. Sharing rides with friends will help keep taxi costs down.
Using community transport
Many community organisations offer free transport for people to attend their activities. Hospitals and medical centres sometimes provide transport for patients, and some shopping malls provide shoppers' buses and mobility scooters.
Keeping your car
Keeping and maintaining your car can help you keep your independence, and make it easier to ask others to drive you somewhere, as you're paying for the petrol and car costs.
Finding out more in your community
There is lots of information available in your community about getting around as a non-driver. Good sources of information are: council offices, Heartland services centres, Age Concern, Grey Power, community centres, hospitals, medical centres, libraries, recreation centres.
Stopping driving doesn't mean you have to give up the things you enjoy. Ask around about what's available. You might be surprised!
