Many people get frustrated when there is a slow driver in front of them, or if the driver swerves into the lane and almost wrecking their car. They compare senior citizens to being like adult children; they don’t like being told what to do and what not to do. Teens are considered as the terrors of the road because they are inexperienced, distracted, and reckless. On the other hand, many senior citizens are much worse drivers and have their share of damage too. The state should test the elderly in order to see if they are still capable of driving safely. All citizens over the age of 75 should be given yearly driving and vision exams in order to renew their license because as we age, our vision and reflexes diminishes and could cause a deadly crash.
Elderly drivers make the headlines on a daily basis. The rules of the road have changed throughout the years. Most elderly people did not realize the change and continue to use their prior knowledge in order to get around. Whether it is mistaking the gas for the brake pedal, reversing instead of driving forward, or failing to see an oncoming car before making a turn, elderly drivers tend to be a leading cause of deadly accidents. It is important to realize that according to Seniordriving.AAA.com, “In 2009, more than 58 percent of deaths in crashes involved drivers over age 65.
Twenty-eight percent of these deaths were occupants of other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. By comparison, in the same year 40 percent of deaths in crashes involving at least one driver younger than age 21 were attributed to the younger drivers themselves and 23 percent were their passengers. Thirty-six percent were occupants of other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians.” This means that the elderly had more accidents than the younger generation. Elderly people tend to experience degeneration of their senses at a rapid rate once they hit seniority.
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Sometimes they go without even realizing that they are losing their senses little by little. Some of the things that are affected by old age are eyesight, and loss of hearing that can affect a decision a person could make as they are driving. For most people, age-related changes in vision, physical fitness, and reflexes creep in as they get older and can put a dent the ability to drive safely According to Sciencedaily.com, “As expected, older participants in the study had more sensory deficits, with large differences in hearing, and vision.” (2016)
A loss of visual acuity can make it extremely harder for drivers to see essential traffic signs, lane lines, other drivers and pedestrians. Conditions common for older eyes cataracts, and glaucoma also limit peripheral vision. Loss of hearing can become undetected by the elderly that includes horns and sirens. In conclusion, the inability to see clearly and detect objects has obvious consequences. Being 75 or older, driving a car may become increasingly difficult, most would argue that you are trying to control their freedom if you advise them to stop driving. I believe that testing these individuals can create a safer place for everyone.
Age does not determine if you are a safe driver or not. Prior knowledge of driving also does not determine if you are a safe driver. If the elderly are capable of passing all the tests then it would bring down the percentage of how many accidents are caused by seniors. Testing the elderly is just a precaution incase they have any underling disability that will endanger their life and everyone driving on the road with them. Yearly vision, physical, and road tests would make sure that everyone is safe and could prevent many accidents.
