This blog has discussed at length the effects of inexperienced drivers thinking they are invincible while on the road. But what about drivers whose best days may be behind them? Many have wanted more road testing for senior citizens, and a spate of accidents caused by seniors has many wanting the debate to be revisited.
In one of the more serious car accidents involving a senior citizen, a 100-year-old man in a major American city struck 11 people with his car while he was trying to back out of a parking lot. Nine of the victims were children who had lined up at a store to buy snacks.
– Article By Richard Weaver
According to the American automobile association, 10,000 people in the U.S. turn 65 every day, meaning there will be more older drivers on the road as baby boomers continue to age.
One 98-year-old woman said she quit driving in her mid 80s, after she was involved in a head-on collision. While she was not at fault for the accident, the woman said her children convinced her it wasn’t worth another wreck that could be her fault as her reflexes got worse. The woman said that older people, she suggested starting at age 80, should be given a driving test.
But it’s always important to remember, that, statistically, teenagers are the most at-risk age group for auto accidents. And according to AAA, drivers in their 80s are at less of a risk of crashing than drivers in their early 20s.
But there’s no denying that reflexes slow and vision worsens as many of use age. What is the appropriate course of action that should be taken for older drivers?
Source: Associated Press, “Crash involving 100-year-old driver rekindles age debate,” Aug. 31, 2012
