HelpGuide has a really wonderful page about unsafe elderly drivers —warning signs that they may be putting themselves and others at risk, steps to take if you are concerned about an elderly driver, and helping a senior adjust to not driving. If you have an elderly driver as a friend or family member, please read this information. Here is the introduction:
Driver safety is an important issue for seniors. Older drivers are more likely to get in multiple-vehicle accidents than younger drivers and car accidents are more dangerous for seniors than for younger people.
Everyone ages differently, so some people are perfectly capable of continuing to drive in their seventies, eighties, and even beyond. Many elders, however, are at higher risk for road accidents. The elderly are more likely to receive traffic citations for failing to yield, turning improperly, and running red lights and stop signs – an indication of decreased driving ability. A person 65 or older who is involved in a car accident is more likely to be seriously hurt, more likely to require hospitalization, and more likely to die than younger people involved in the same crash. In particular, fatal crash rates rise sharply after a driver has reached the age of 70.
If you know an older driver who is experiencing trouble on the road, it is important to carefully monitor the situation. This article can help you determine whether you should take steps to encourage the senior to stop driving.
