Elderly Drivers on American Roads: Potential Benefits and Dangers Term Paper

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Elderly Drivers: Benefit of Experience or Danger to Others?

One of the most pertinent facts of society today is that, in general, populations are aging. This is particularly true of developed nations, where medical science has created a platform to allow the average person to live far longer than the case has been just 50 years ago. The result is a gradually aging population, where the number of elderly is increasing. In addition to concerns like funding for medical care, this phenomenon as also created concerns for road safety. Indeed, according to some statistics, the number of elderly drivers (drivers aged 70 and over) is likely to rise to triple its current level within 20 years (Smartmotorist.com, 2011). This rapid rise in elderly drivers has raised concerns about the safety of roads not only for other drivers, but for the elderly drivers themselves. Statistics appear to be as divided on the issue as public opinion, with some indicating a large index of danger, while others show that the danger is not as dire as believed. Either way, there is no denying that driving ability declines with age. Inherently, the danger associated with more elderly drivers on the road is that only some of them would recognize reduced driving ability in themselves, while others would not. To determine ways to mitigate the situation, it is essential to investigate the extent of the danger nation wide as well as within states, cities, and counties.

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Research shows that drivers who reach the age of 65 are increasingly at risk of being involved in vehicle accidents. Drivers reaching the age of 75 are at an increased risk of fatal accidents (Smartmotorist.com, 2011). This is associated with three particular factors: poor judgment when making a left-hand turn, drifting in the traffic lane, and decreased ability to make sound judgments and respond to rapidly changing conditions on the road. To quantify the risk, statistics indicate that the elderly account for 5% of all injuries related to traffic crashes, 13% of all fatal injuries related to traffic crashes, 13% of all fatalities among vehicle occupants, and 18% of fatalities suffered by pedestrians. Hence, elderly people on the road pose not only a danger to others, but are also themselves at greater risk of injury or death (Smartmotorist.com, 2011).

When investigating the demographics of the crashes themselves, it was found that a vehicle driven by an older person is 3.1 times as likely to be struck as one by a younger person, and that 27% of such accidents occurred when the older person was making left turn. Furthermore, the elderly tend to be involved in negligence cases, including failing to yield to pedestrians, not stopping at a flashing red light, and backing up without taking safety precautions.

In terms of addressing the problem, states vary widely in terms of their requirements for elderly.....

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