It's no secret that bad drivers come in all age demographics.

I have seen my fair share of terrible drivers that are both young and old behind the wheel in my 43 years of being a licensed driver.

Ask yourself, is anything more aggravating, and might I say dangerous than witnessing some kid with their head in their phone texting up a storm while driving, or following 87-year-old blue-haired Ethel peering through the steering wheel doing 12mph in a 40mph zone? (How many times have you found yourself saying, COME ON ETHEL, it's the skinny pedal on the right, how about stepping on it!)

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December 5th-9th was Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, which got me wondering, at what age does South Dakota require its drivers to hang up their car keys for good?

You might find it interesting to know the state of South Dakota has a myriad of rules and regulations when it comes to motor vehicle laws, however, there are no special rules based on age alone.

According to the website Nolo.com, the most common restriction placed on senior or elderly drivers is to require them to wear glasses or corrective contact lenses, if necessary while operating a motor vehicle.

There are a few other requirements the DMV could impose on older drivers, such as:

• Driving a vehicle equipped with a left outside rearview mirror
• Driving a vehicle with automatic transmission
• No nighttime driving
• No driving outside a specified geographic area
• Driving only within a 50-mile radius of home
• Driving a vehicle with specified equipment

But other than that, if you can still pass a motor vehicle test that allows you to get a legal South Dakota driver's license and you have no cognitive or other existing health conditions that impair your ability to operate a motor vehicle safely, you are free to roam the roads here in South Dakota at any age.

With that said, common sense needs to be applied at some point, right?

So the question becomes, how old is too old to drive?

If you yourself are a senior driver, or if you know someone who is, it's a very smart idea to take an objective look at your driving skills, or the driving skills of your loved one.

Start by asking these questions:

• Do you or your loved one have a difficult time seeing while driving?
• Do you or your loved one get lost while driving?
• Are family and friends worried about your driving abilities?
• Do other drivers seem too fast, appear out of nowhere or honk at you or your loved one?
• Do busy intersections, left-hand turns or parking make you or your loved one nervous?
• Have you or your loved one had more “near misses” or been stopped by police lately?
• Have you or your loved one had multiple accidents, or numerous dents and dings on their vehicle lately?

If some of these questions apply to you, or a senior driver in your life, it might be wise to get a driving assessment done by a trained professional.

Sanford Outpatient Rehabilitation and Therapy Services can assist here in the Sioux Falls area. Get all the details and learn more here.

Source: Nolo/ South Dakota Department of Public Safety