I love my uncle. That’s why my stomach turned a cartwheel when he pulled into our driveway for Easter dinner.

It’s not that he wasn’t invited. He’s my favorite uncle. But when my husband, Tom, offered to pick him up at his Indiana residence as usual, he adamantly refused Tom’s kindness.

“I don’t need Tom to pick me up! I got my license renewed two days ago,” Uncle announced proudly.

“But, uncle, we love you. Tom always picks you up,” I persisted.

“What you’re really saying is that I’m an old man, and because I’m 90, I shouldn’t be driving,” Uncle retorted.

Repeating that we loved him only irritated my uncle more thoroughly. So I said a prayer and zipped my lip. Although my uncle is a cautious motorist, his reactions have slowed, and his sense of direction has waned. Neither quality bodes well for interstate or expressway driving, which is my uncle’s method for visiting our home.

Perhaps seniors need someone outside of their family unit to guide them safely down the highways of our nation. Maybe employees at the Department of Motor Vehicles should set boundaries to provide peace of mind for loved ones and senior drivers themselves.

By imposing restrictions on senior licenses, the DMV could act as a mediator between seniors and their loved ones. Restrictions would help octogenarians and nonagenarians make good choices when behind the wheel.

I think licensing options are needed to protect our country’s beloved elders. When seniors over age 83 take their driving test annually, they could receive one of three licenses. Option No. 1 would limit the senior to daylight driving within a 15-mile radius. Option No. 2 would allow the senior to drive any distance during daylight hours, and Option No. 3 would be a license with no restrictions.

Seniors who consider driving limitations to be unduly restrictive might consider current restrictions on teen drivers. Teens have curfews and restrictions on the number of passengers in their vehicle to enhance the safety of all drivers on the road.

I love my uncle. I look forward to celebrating more birthdays and holidays with him. But I hope that for the Fourth of July, he’ll let Tom do the driving.