Elderly drivers
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- August
- 21
A few terrible crashes involving elderly drivers (including one in Westchester that killed a popular coach at Galaxy Gymnasics in Orangeburg) got me curious about crash statistics. For many years, the party line from insurers had been that older drivers, statistically, have fewer accidents than other groups. Ends up that recent studies point to a little bit more complex situation. (Surprise! Statistics aren’t always simple to interpret.)
“On the basis of estimated annual travel, the fatality rate for drivers 85 and over is nine times as high as the rate for drivers 25 through 69 years old,” according to the National Transportation and Highway Safety Association, which summarized 1997 highway statistics for older drivers in “Traffic Safety Facts 1997: Older Population.” Basically, older drivers simply drive less, and often limit night and highway driving, so accident rate statistics are skewed.
A neighbor last month was driving on Route 9W when an elderly woman rear-ended her car. Luckily, everyone was pretty much OK (all her kids were in the car.) Then yesterday, an 81-year-old man apparently stepped on the gas instead of the brake as he drove in the Provident Bank lot in Orangeburg and crashed into the bank. Luckily, again, he seemed to escape serious injury.
Of course, accidents happen, and there is no telling in any of these what role, if any, age played.
But, should there be mandatory road tests, or a doctor’s evaluation, for drivers over 80, or 85?
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 at 8:59 pm by Nancy Cutler.
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yes there should.
At what age? How often?
Anyone out there think it’s somewhat discriminatory to single out someone as a suspected bad driver based solely on age?
I think our minds tend to “notice more” when we see the very young or the very old get into accidents.
I’d kinda leave it up to insurance companies to sort things out (i.e. raising the rates of bad drivers); they’re pretty good at trend spotting.
_“There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”_
_-Benjamin Disraeli_
I can understand the need for special conditions for senior drivers. I mean, no one waves a red flag, or complains about the restrictions to drivers under age 18. The reason teen drivers face restrictions is the maturity level, and level of driving experience, makes them a higher risk for accidents, etc. Which is why insurance companies charge more for drivers under age 25/26.
But, there is one thing we are forgetting. All of us will become senior citizens. And, I’m sure you all can agree, those of us over 40, that we don’t certainly feel our age inside.
So, unless there is a medical reason for someone who is senior citizen to drive, I don’t see why there should be any restrictions
Just like an eye test is needed every so often. It wouldnt hurt that every so often a cognitive test of some sort. Yeah i think i wouldnt like it much. But think about how some of the elderly drive. Its all about the reflexes and the mind being sharp.
Its a catch 22 I know…
Yes, that’s the problem. Is it fair to single out one group, say, those over 80?
We single out young drivers, but not “new” drivers. For example, you don’t get a restricted license if you first get one at age 26, say. So, it seems, it’s about the age (17) not the driving experience.
nancy, not true. look at the insurance. when you are a new driver you are put under Assigned risk. it usually takes 2 years to be taken off … Thats a bigger restriction than asking someone to say do me a favor. can you really see this eye chart and how are your reflexes.
Don’t get me wrong, if at 80 I know I can still drive I wouldnt want to be singled out, but its understandable.
Just remember the one driver you hate being behind, The old man in the hat, and the woman talking on the cell phone for the entire ride
okay. My father in law is 85, uses a cane, can only walk about 10’ without stopping,he eats so slowly that he ususally drops his food before it hits his mouth, can’t lift his feet when he walks, can’t turn his head to see behind him but thinks nothing of getting behind the wheel of his car. He drives top speed of 40 and stops about 50’ before a stop sign. Someone told me that if I know he should not be driving & he hits someone, I can be sued. I have tried several tmes to take his license even had the Dr talk to him. But his license is valid until 2011 !!!!!