This week is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. Some will make jokes about an elderly person behind the wheel, but when it comes to safety, it isn’t a joke. Most have been taught to respect their elders, and fostering an environment wherein seniors are safe drivers is a way to respect their lives while also protecting others.
Largely because the Baby Boomer generation is now aging into seniors, there is no shortage of older drivers on the roads of Pennsylvania and beyond. That means that there is some driving safety efforts to implement to prevent car accidents involving the elderly.
According to AARP, the following are a few of the most common areas of weakness among drivers who are 65 and older:
Tendency to speed
Failure to stop at traffic lights
Illegal left turns
Proper lane usage
As you can see by the above dangerous driving behaviors, there are clear safety concerns regarding elderly drivers. Speeding or failing to stop at a red light, for example, easily lead to traffic accidents that lead to injuries. Being a bit older doesn’t excuse poor, reckless driving.
To combat the high risk of accidents involving seniors, AARP is offering refreshed driver safety education and courses. Also, it reminds aging drivers to take care of themselves and be proactive in ensuring that they are safe drivers. That includes taking any medication that they need in a responsible manner, getting regular physicals and driving during certain safer times of the day.
Age is nothing but a number to someone who is the victim of a car accident. Crash injuries are equally painful and expensive no matter the age of a negligent driver. A personal injury lawyer can help a crash victim through a stressful time.
Source: Consumer Reports, “Most common hazards for older drivers,” Dec, 3, 2013