My dad (90) still drives. No car accidents. He has plans this summer to continue to pull his 35ft fifth wheel. What do I do?

You have given your input. Your father is of age and apparently of sound mind, and able to pass his driving exams, so your opinion is about all you can do.

I knew a gentleman who drove well into his 90s and drove better than most folks on the road. Didn’t go SLOW either!

thank you all for your kind words. I am fearful over something that has not even happened. i will wait and see. He may decide on his own that taking his trailer out may be more than he can handle. Praying he will make this decision on his own before something horrible happens.

You can anonymously report him to his state's DMV and outline your concerns. They will most likely send him a letter telling him to come in for an eye test, not sure about a behind-the-wheel test. Why don't you make up a reason to be in his vehicle while he's pulling his trailer before he goes on his trip? Then you'll know for sure how much to be concerned. Just because he's 90 doesn't mean he's automatically a compromised driver. Causes for concern would him drifting over the road and lines, inappropriate speeds (too fast or too slow), judgment (parking too close, too far, going through yellow lights late) etc. It's also his physical abilities like being able to turn his neck sufficiently to check when lane changing, reaction times to his driving environment, etc.

The more you make it an overt issue, a contentious point, without having proof that he is a danger, the more he will resist any changes or compromises. If I were in your shoes I would make an excuse to get him to drive you around (or enlist another family member, neighbor or friend) to really get an accurate idea.

I also think that too many people (not necessarily including family) think that older people are a danger on the road, while ignoring the idiots who refuse to obey traffic laws, drive while texting and ignore basic courtesy while driving.   I see little old ladies and men driving, slowly, but I rarely see them run stop lights or stop signs, or cut me off.    Nor do they tailgate and give the third finger salute when they pull out angrily b/c I'm driving the speed limit, and not over it.

And most importantly, although I don't spend time studying them, I usually see 2 hands on the wheel, not one on the wheel and another holding a tech device to their ears.   Of course people  can use ear plug-ins, but they're still not focusing on the primary purpose or driving - to get somewhere, safely.

If he's still cognitive and has no problem driving, I'm not sure there is an issue.   Has he had any age/cognitive accidents  thus far? 

I can certainly understand your concern; I had that when my father was driving, but I had an interesting experience once.  I had hired some young men in the neighborhood to help clean out my sister's house, and they were watching Dad as he maneuvered around in the storage area where I was keeping her things so I could clear the house.

These were young men, some teenagers, and I overheard them commenting on how careful Dad was, one even observing that Dad certainly had  a lot of experience managing and hauling trailers.    I began to realize that I might have been too worried.      Different perspectives.

How far will your father be traveling?  Across the US?  I'm thinking that another issue perhaps equally if not more important is the issue of traveling through states with high Covid infection rates.    Does he usually stay at an RV park, something like the Snowbird parks down South?