Should The Brakes Be Applied To Elderly Drivers

Should the Brakes be applied to Elderly Drivers?

I. Elderly woman strikes car after having seizure at the wheel.

A. No one seriously hurt.

B. What if she had hit a child?

II. Problems with elderly drivers

A. Drivers 85 years and older cause as many deaths per year as males aged 16-19.

B. Older drivers do not want to give up keys because it gives them a sense of independence to drive.

III. Causes of elderly driver deaths

A. By allowing people to renew licenses through the mail, many elderly people are driving that should not be.

B. Poor eyesight and slow reaction time cause older drivers to be dangerous

IV. Consequences of elderly drivers on the road

A. 74,428 deaths caused by elderly drivers between 1989 and 2000

V. Solutions to elderly driver deaths

A. In-person licensure laws

B. Vision tests along with new licensure laws.

Should the Brakes be applied to Elderly Drivers?

A few years ago an elderly woman, in her mid 70's, was driving home from a morning of running errands. She lived in an area of Provo which was commonly referred to as the "Tree Streets". It is an area which is known for its narrow winding streets with many cars parked on the curb. She had lived in the area for many years and generally used the same route to return home every time she left. As she was making her way home she had a mild seizure which caused her to black out. She lost control of her car and ran in to one of the cars parked along the street. No one was seriously injured in the accident. Both cars received some considerable damage, but overall the woman was extremely lucky. What if the same accident would have happened on a busy street? What if it was a child that was hit and not a parked car? By having stricter laws concerning elderly drivers, there would be more lives saved each year.

In the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. David C. Grabowski said, "Motor vehicle fatality rates among older drivers have been increasing since 1980, particularly among those aged 85 years or older. Moreover, elderly individuals have more fatal crashes per mile driven than any other group except teenage males" (2840). The statistic stated above is even more alarming when you consider the aging U.S. population. "According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety drivers aged 65 and older are expected to account for as much as 25 percent of total drivers fatalities in 2030, compared to 14 percent currently"(Grabowski, 2840). The amount of elderly drivers on the road is only going to increase. How many times have you been driving to work and been stuck behind an older driver going well below the speed limit? The problem with unsafe, older drivers behind the wheel is not just a local problem. Christina Corcoran, in a publication for Psychology Today, said, "In Canada, the accident rate among those over 65 is triple that of adults ages 36 to 65. In the U.S. between 1989 and 1999, the number of fatalities of drivers ages 70 and over increased 39 percent while overall fatalities dropped 9 percent"(16). There needs to be some thing done to fix this increasing problem.

Researchers have sited many reasons for the problems stated above. Bonnie Dobbs, an assistant professor at the University of Alberta, was quoted saying, "Driving is often a sign of independence for older adults, and the loss of a license has been associated with depression and decreased self-esteem in studies"(Corcoran 16). Optometrist, Melvin Shipp expressed the same concerns, saying, "Mobility is extremely important to people. It can affect their quality of life. A driver's license to many is a symbol of independence" (7). In society today, a vehicle is a necessary item. Ms. Dobbs continues, "If families can help aging drivers meet their social transportation needs...it would go a long way in preventing them from feeling like their life has less meaning"(16). The seniors who are doing the driving should not be the ones to decide if they should be behind the wheel. The diagram below gives some helpful tips on how to tell if the "brakes" should be applied to an older driver:

SIGNS