The U.S. population is aging each year and the hazard posed by elderly drivers who cling to their licenses long after they have lost their ability to safely operate a motor vehicle continues to grow. The fatality rate for drivers begins to climb after the age of 65. Between the ages of 75 and 84, the fatality rate among senior citizens is the equivalent to that of teen drivers. Drivers over the age of 85 have a shocking fatality rate four times that of teens.
These figures concerning elderly drivers are especially alarming in light of the U.S. Census Bureau projections that predict there will be 9.6 million people over the age of 85 by 2030. Road safety experts now predict that by the year 2030, the aging baby boomer population will cause 25% of all fatal crashes. This number is a sharp incline from the current estimates that this age group causes just 11% of fatal accidents.
States across the country are struggling to address the approaching boom of elderly drivers. Several states have passed measures that require more frequent vision and behind the wheel exams for drivers over the age of 79. Currently, however, Mississippi is among 17 states that does not have any driving restrictions on the elderly.
Researchers are still studying the dangers posed by older drivers and the measures intended to diminish them. Thus far, the only laws that seem to have a measurable impact on reducing senior citizen crash rates are those that require elderly drivers appear in person at the DMV and pass vision and road tests frequently. Most states have not passed laws that meet these requirements.
Normal aging often diminishes one’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Reflexes, memory, visual acuity, flexibility, and the ability to focus all decline with age. Further, medications designed to treat a number of ailments associated with old age can make it more difficult for the elderly to focus, and can also come with side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired perception.
Elderly drivers are most often involved in side impact crashes. These accidents generally occur at intersections when the senior driver misses a stop sign or turns left in front of oncoming traffic. The side impact crash is now being termed an old person’s accident in the same manner that roll over crashes are usually considered a young person’s crash. Seniors are less likely, however, to be involved in high speed crashes or accidents stemming from alcohol use.
Studies show that most elderly drivers elect to stop driving on their own accord. Each year, more than 600,000 drivers over the age of 70 decide to stop driving. Despite this high number, the problem of dangerous elderly drivers seems to endure.
Barrett Law PLLC: Mississippi Auto Accident Attorneys of Distinction
The Mississippi Automobile Accident Attorneys at Barrett Law PLLC are concerned by recent studies showing the dangers of elderly drivers who do not have the memory, reflexes, or vision to safely operate a motor vehicle. We hope that Mississippi and other states will enact more measures that would require senior citizens pass road and vision tests more often to ensure both their safety and the safety of other road users. In the meantime, we will continue to fight for the recovery of accident victims injured by negligence senior drivers as we have for over 75 years. For these automobile accident victims, we will zealously seek to recover compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Call Barrett Law PLLC today at 1 (601) 790-1505 to schedule your free consultation. We look forward to providing you with excellence of legal services.
