According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, older people were responsible for causing 15 percent of all traffic fatalities, and 18 percent of all pedestrian fatalities. Eighty percent of the traffic fatalities that involved older drivers occurred during the daytime, while 72% occurred on weekdays. Sixty-nine percent of car accidents involving older drivers involved other vehicles.
What is an elderly driver? The NHTSA designates individuals who are age 65 or older to be older drivers. The NHTSA states that in 2009, 13 percent of the total U.S. resident population was 65 and older. In its report , TRAFFIC SAFETY FACTS 2009 Data – Older Population, the NHTSA sets forth some interesting statistics regarding older drivers, including that in two-vehicle fatal car accidents involving an older driver and a younger driver, the vehicle driven by the older person was 1.7 times as likely to be the one that was struck. The report also reveals that in Colorado, there were 653 fatal car accidents, 73 of which (11.2%) involved older drivers.
Another area of concern regarding elder drivers is pedestrian accidents. The NHTSA reports that in the U.S. in 2009, there were 4,092 pedestrians killed and an estimated 59,000 were injured in traffic accidents. While older people account for a number of pedestrians injured or killed in traffic accidents, older drivers can also be the cause of pedestrian accidents, and such accidents occur due to many of the same factors that can lead to a car versus car accident involving elder drivers.
The NHTSA has developed a strategic plan to address the issue of older drivers. The NHTSA recognizes a need to distinguish between medically compromised drivers and all older drivers so that there are not overly restrictive laws passed regarding all older drivers. One thing that all older drivers should do is to honestly assess their own abilities. Changes in how well a person can see are a great concern. Additionally, a driver’s physical fitness and how well their reflexes react are important considerations in assessing an elder driver’s abilities, as deficits in any of these areas can be causes for safety concerns.
There are a number of steps that older drivers can take to maximize their driving abilities. Ensuring that eyewear prescriptions are up to date is one step. For drivers who find they become easily distracted and nervous when driving on busy roads, planning out less congested routes ahead of time can be a big help. Stretching may aid those older drivers who feel pain or stiffness that impedes their ability to drive safely. Any of these steps may help to avert a car accident.
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