Is Mom Still Safe to Drive?
Most North Americans depend on cars to get us around; driving gives us independence and freedom. The problem is that as we age our motor skills, vision, and response times can deteriorate, making us a danger to ourselves and others. Many families agonize over the decision to take their parents’ car keys away and most are met with resistance. How do you know if your elderly parent is still safe to drive?
Signs of Elderly Driver Decline:
- Drives either too fast or too slow for the road and traffic flow
- Relies on passengers for line of site questions
- Responds too slowly or doesn’t see bicyclists, pedestrians, or other drivers on the road
- Ignores, disobeys or misunderstands traffic lights and street signs
- Stops being able to gauge the distances between or approaching cars
- Doesn’t yield to others that have the right of way
- Seems drowsy, confused, or frightened, or easily angered or frustrated
- Drifts across lanes or bumps into curbs
- Forgets to turn on headlights after dusk
- Seems to be having a lot of near accidents or is having car accidents
- Lacks the strength to turn the wheel quickly in case of emergency
- Gets lost on the road, even in familiar areas
- Has difficulty maneuvering their neck, head, or shoulders while driving or parking
- Experiences night blindness when glare from oncoming headlights or streetlights appears
- Ignores needed mechanical repairs
If you can identify one or more of these issues in your elderly parent, suggest they be assessed by their medical doctor as they may be unfit to drive.
Caregivers Should Look at These Medical Issues:
- Has the elderly person had a physical exam in the last year to test reflexes, vision, and hearing?
- Have they been diagnosed with any medical illness that could affect their ability to drive?
- Has a physician recommended that they stop driving?
- Are they on any medications that could make them drowsy?
- Have they reduced their alcohol intake to compensate for a decreasing tolerance?
- Have they had a serious fall in the last year?
- Do they have difficulty climbing a flight of stairs or walking more than a city block?
Easing into Decreased Driving Ability
Just because your elderly parent is experiencing declines in their abilities doesn’t mean that they have to give up driving all together:
- Stop driving at night
- Only drive in familiar areas
- Avoid highways and rush hour traffic
- Leave plenty of time to get to destination
- Don’t drive alone
The AARP (the American Association of Retired Persons) sponsors a program called the 55-Alive Mature Driver Program, which helps older people deal with issues such as compensating for vision problems associated with aging. And, the Association for Driver Rehabilitation offers referrals to specialists who teach people with disabilities, including aging drivers, how to improve their driving. Some states, including Washington, offer seniors a discount on car insurance in exchange for taking a safe driving course each year.
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is two to three times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. today for a FREE consultation!
Read MoreTeen Drivers and Fatal Car Crashes
It is widely known and acknowledged that teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 years of age cause the most crash and traffic violations of any other age group. In fact, car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers across the United States. The question is why? There are many factors that play into this fact including not understanding consequences to risky driving, lack of experience, high usage of drugs and alcohol, distractions such as a car full of friends, and cell phone usage.
Primary collision factors in fatal car crashes caused by 16-19 year old drivers:
- Unsafe Speed 35.3%
- Right of Way 20.6%
- Improper Turns 14.8%
- Sign/Signal 8.1%
- Alcohol/Drugs 5.1%
- Passing/Lane Change 4.3%
- Wrong Side of Road 3.1%
- *Distracted driving and other 8.7%
*Distracted driving includes texting and driving which is now known to be six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. It has now replaced drinking while driving as the leading cause of car accidents among teenagers.
Teen Drivers Primary Crash Risk Factors
Poor Hazard Detection
It takes time and practice to be able to identify potential hazards on the road. Teen drivers must gain perceptual and information gathering skills over time to be able to identify threats.
Low Risk Perception
Teen drivers have a tendency to underestimate a crash risk in a hazardous situation such as an icy road and overestimate their ability to navigate the hazard.
Risk Taking
Teen drivers tend to be overconfident in their abilities and lack an understanding of consequences to risky behaviors like speeding, tailgating, running red lights, violating traffic signs and signals, making illegal turns, passing dangerously, texting while driving, and failure to yield to pedestrians.
Not Wearing Seat Belts
Teenagers have not gotten the message as clearly as adults; they do not wear seat belts as consistently as older drivers. This choice may have to do with a lack of understanding of consequences.
Lack of Skill
It takes time to master driving and vehicle handling skills and new teen drivers simply haven’t had the time.
Alcohol and Drugs
Teens often engage in partying and drinking or using drugs and some get behind the wheel and drive. Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is a common cause of serious and sometimes fatal car crashes among teenage drivers. Possibly because of lack of skill, teenagers who drink and drive are at a much higher risk of being involved in a serious car accident than are older drivers with equal concentrations of alcohol in their blood.
Carrying Passengers
When teens drive with passengers in the car the risk of being involved in a fatal car crash increases by three times; the more passengers, the higher the risk. Teen male drivers are particularly at risk with teen male passengers as they may encourage the driver to take unnecessary risks.
Night Driving
Night driving is particularly dangerous for teen drivers: the per mile crash rate is three times higher after 9 p.m. than during the day. Among other factors, this is likely because teen driving involving alcohol or drugs is more likely to occur at night.
If your teenager has been involved in a car crash please don’t fight your insurance company alone. Do not underestimate the ability of an accident attorney to get the job done: the Insurance Research Council found that insurance payouts to clients are 3.5 times higher to those who hired an accident attorney. Call the experienced accident lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. to setup your FREE CONSULTATION today!
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