The United States has an aging population – and that means that there are significantly more “senior” drivers (those 65 years of age and older) out there on the road than there used to be.
Unfortunately, senior drivers aren’t always the safest. Despite the years of experience they may have behind the wheel, they’re statistically more likely to be in serious or fatal car accidents than younger drivers (with teenagers being the notable exception).
Why are senior drivers involved in so many accidents? The answer to that question is both complicated and simple.
They’re driving about a decade longer than they should
According to one AAA study, “Seniors are outliving their ability to drive safely by an average of 7 to 10 years.” Essentially, they’re refusing to put down their car keys when they should, likely because of the difficulties that lack of independence poses both physically and emotionally.
Seniors face a range of challenges that can, eventually, impair their driving abilities – no matter how skilled they may have once been. These include:
- Declining vision: Refraction problems are common as people age, due to cataracts that grow slowly over time. Seniors also lose a certain amount of their night vision with each passing year, which can make driving after dark increasingly difficult.
- Slower reaction times: As people age, their response times to unexpected events or changes in driving conditions can slow down. They simply may not be able to react as quickly to other vehicles that make sudden stops or obstacles in the road.
- Cognitive decline: Slower mental processing speeds and issues like early dementia can make it harder for senior drivers to navigate even familiar roadways – and they can miss exits, forget to check mirrors before changing lanes or even end up confusing an on-ramp for an off-ramp on the highway. Some even confuse the gas pedal for the brake in parking lots, hitting buildings.
Naturally, there’s a lot of variation between aging drivers – and some are conscientious enough to put down their keys when it is time. If you end up in a wreck with an older driver, you have a right to expect fair compensation.
