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From the Director
A few facts about older drivers
By Robert P. Dean
Although accidents involving older drivers often draw attention to their age and driving abilities, statistics actually indicate that older drivers are safe drivers. According to a recent Rand Corporation study entitled “What Risks Do Older Drivers Pose to Traffic Safety?,” people age 65 and older accounted for about 15% of all licensed drivers (in 2001), but only 7% of all accidents. It is the younger drivers age 15 - 24, who pose the greatest risk to traffic safety. According to the Rand report, these younger drivers, who represented 13% of all licensed drivers were responsible for 43% of all traffic accidents in the United States in 2001.
Driving is a fast-paced, complex activity. It involves processing information about traffic and road conditions, deciding what to do, and then acting on those decisions in a matter of seconds. Age affects driving ability in a variety of ways including diminished vision, and reduced decision making and reaction time. Despite medical evidence that demonstrates that driving skills decline with age, the Rand report states that older drivers are not significantly riskier drivers. This is primarily because older drivers modify their driving habits to compensate for diminished driving skills as they age. For instance, older drivers drive far less frequently and average far fewer miles driven. Most older drivers use seat belts and have fewer citations for speeding, reckless driving, or alcohol-related charges. Additionally, older drivers tend to avoid driving conditions that put them at greater risk for an accident, such as poor road conditions, or driving during peak traffic times or at night. The Rand report contrasts these tendencies with those of younger drivers, who show no particular driving pattern during the day, and drive more frequently at night. The Rand report also found that many older drivers give up driving entirely if they feel they are a driving risk to themselves or others.
The decision to limit or to stop driving is a difficult one. So much of our independence is based upon our ability to drive. AARP identifies fifteen warning signs to help determine when someone should begin to limit their driving or stop altogether. Some of these warning signs are as follows: feeling uncomfortable, nervous or fearful while driving, difficulty staying in the lane of traffic, getting lost, frequent “close calls,” difficulty seeing the sides of the road when looking straight ahead, having a hard time turning around to check over your shoulder while backing up or changing lanes, being easily distracted or having a hard time concentrating while driving, and/or frequent traffic tickets or warnings in the last two years. The decision to stop or limit driving should be based on each individual’s circumstances and abilities. For some individuals the decision to stop driving may be the best solution, for others a better option may be to limit their driving and to learn safe driving techniques. Elder Services is hosting a two part AARP Driver Safety Program in Pittsfield on October 29 and 30. Those who participate will learn defensive driving techniques and how to adjust to age related changes in perception and response. If you think you or someone you know could benefit from this program, give us a call.
The Rand report can be found at www.rand.org. The AARP website is www.aarp.org.)
Robert P. Dean is Executive Director of Elder Services