Is there an age limit for seniors to drive in Beaufort Co.? An expert gives the answer

Speed limits in Beaufort County are a moving target. Speed traps are a given. But age limits? There are none.

Despite the large population of seniors in the area, rules and regulations about older drivers staying on the roads are not always clear. Beaufort County is home to a larger percentage than the state average of senior residents and drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in South Carolina, an “older driver” is defined as anyone over the age of 65. About 29% of residents in Beaufort County are older than 65, according to the 2020 Census , compared to 19% of residents across the state.

So what does the state law say?

There are no legal age restrictions in place that prohibit seniors from driving on South Carolina roads, according to Mike Fitz, a representative from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.

Drivers in the state, regardless of age, have to renew their license every eight years, Fitz wrote in an email. Vision tests are required for renewal, but unless a driver is under a suspension or has a medical disqualification, they will likely not have to take a road skills test.

“Restrictions on a driver’s license would be based on observed medical reasons, not age or senior status,” according to Fitz. State law does give the SCDMV the right to restrict a driver based on medical issues. The agency also requires drivers to re-test if they have been involved in four crashes in a 24-month period, regardless of their age.

The South Carolina Driver’s Manual also says that doctors can determine if their patients’ driving skills need to be assessed by the SCDMV.

Unlike other states, SCDMV does not have a procedure in place for concerned family members or friends to report an unsafe driver. Instead, Fitz said that the concerned parties should rely on local law enforcement.

Master Sgt. Danny Allen of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said that although they do pull over a large number of older drivers, the community is made up largely of an aging population, so it is difficult to say whether older drivers are pulled over more frequently than those below the age of 65.

Usually, when an older driver is pulled over, he said the sheriff’s office attempts to contact the driver’s family. Many members of the aging population here do not necessarily have family in the area, he said, which can make these tough conversations even more difficult to have.

What about the doctors?

Dr. Timothy Scharold, who specializes in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics in Hilton Head, said that driving is a very important part of a person’s independence. Sometimes, it is the last piece of freedom they’ve been able to retain, he said.

“It’s not just that they’re stubborn or they think they can drive when they can’t,” he said. Older drivers need to get to and from important places, like doctor’s appointments, and might not have another way to get there if they are restricted from driving. This is made even more difficult if an older person lives far away from family members who might be able to otherwise drive them.

Instead of more restrictions in place for older drivers, Scharold advocates for more alternatives for transportation that can help them get from place to place, from government to community-led programs.

Scharold also said that cognitive issues might not always be a sure sign that someone is incapable of driving safely. There might be a person with Alzheimer’s who can drive all the way to a different state without knowing where they are, but they still arrived safely, Scharold said.