When you're organizing the details of your deceased parent's funeral service, one thing that you'll need to evaluate is the trip from the funeral home to the cemetery. While the immediate family members may ride in vehicles from the funeral home, most attendees will drive themselves in the funeral procession. If your parent was elderly, there's a strong probability that many of the funeral attendees will be, too, and this means that not all of them will drive. If you're able, it's nice to assign some people whom you know will be present to act as drivers for those who can't drive themselves. Here are some ways to assess these individuals.
Vehicle
Obviously, it makes sense for those whom you'll ask to drive other funeral attendees to the cemetery to have large vehicles. There's little point in going to the effort of recruiting drivers for the funeral procession if they can only carry one or two passengers. Those who have minivans are generally your best bet, as these drivers may be able to carry four or so passengers with comfort. If you're able to recruit a few minivan drivers, you can easily accommodate the funeral attendees who cannot drive themselves.
Driving Aptitude
While you might not have a clear picture of the driving skills of each person you consider for this role, it's ideal if you can pick the best drivers. Perhaps you've driven with some of these people or have had family members do the same. You want to recruit those who stop and start smoothly and turn in a controlled manner. Some elderly people can be anxious about riding in vehicles, and you want them to feel safe when they're riding in the vehicle that you've arranged for them.
Reliability
You want to ensure that those you recruit for this responsibility are reliable. If someone were to agree to help in this manner, but then not show up for the funeral, many people will be left scrambling to arrange transportation from the funeral home to the cemetery. You'll usually have a pretty clear idea of the reliability of those whom may be close enough to you to ask for help in this manner, and it's best to focus on those who have a history of honoring their commitments. By making these plans in advance of the funeral, you'll make life easier for those who are elderly and who may struggle with getting around.
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