Senior Drivers

Published on: December 26, 2024

Focus on Older Driver Safety This Winter

This December, traffic safety organizations have been drawing attention to the car accident risks facing senior motorists. These risks often result in severe personal injuries from auto accidents.

A number of national and local organizations recently marked the week between December 2 and December 6 as Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. The aim of the commemoration was to draw attention to the various safety threats affecting the auto accident risks of older drivers above the age of 65. This is one of the most at-risk motorist groups out there with significant health -related car accident risks that potentially affect their driving abilities.

The national population of older drivers has increased significantly over the past decade. According to the AARP, the population of motorists above the age of 65 increased by almost 30% between 2012 and 2021. The car accident rate for senior drivers of this age group increased by more than 4% between 2021 and 2022. The number of car accident wrongful deaths involving motorists above the age of 65 increased from 7,515 in 2021 to 7,870 the following year.

Published on: August 21, 2024

What Family Members Can Do to Prevent Senior Auto Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Senior motorists experience a range of deficiencies in their physical and mental faculties that make it difficult for them to drive safely and increase their risks of being involved in auto accidents. Family members and caregivers have a major role to play in encouraging seniors to give up their car keys when they are no longer in a position to drive safely.

It is important to remember that seniors benefit both physically and mentally from the independence that comes from being mobile and able to drive. However, there may come a time when your loved one is simply unable to drive without being a risk to himself and others. At this point, you must step in and take away the car keys. Remember that failing driving faculties may have more to do other issues than with the person’s age. In other words, you must consider your loved one’s driving performances and abilities, and not just his age while deciding to curtail his driving privileges.

The best way to confirm whether your loved one’s abilities to drive safely are compromised, is to observe him when he is driving. Look for prime indicators of decline in driving skills. These can include failing to stop and check both ways for traffic, failure to stop at red or stop signs, or failure to stay in the lane while driving. A safe driver must be able to drive appropriately for the traffic and weather conditions, and must be able to take into consideration the driving of other motorists, motorcycles and other users of the road while driving.

Published on: June 17, 2024

Mild Cognitive Declines May Push Seniors to Give Up Driving

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Older people who suffer mild mental declines are likely to make the decision to give up driving in order to eliminate their risks of being involved in auto accidents.

Concerns about senior drivers have increased over the past decade with the increase in the number of motorists above the age of 65 driving on our streets. With life expectancies at all time highs, it is natural that we see many senior drivers on our roads. Driving is key to senior physical and mental health. However, seniors may suffer from several age- related declines and impairments that reduce their ability to drive safely and increase their risks of being involved in a car accident. Vision may begin to fail and hearing may become less sharp as the years go by. Even more disturbing are the mental or cognitive declines that seniors may face as they get older.

A new study finds that most seniors who begin to suffer mental declines like forgetfulness make the decision to give up driving on their own. As part of the study, the researchers tracked 213 seniors above the age of 72. None of the seniors suffered from symptoms of mental decline at the beginning of the study, but as the years progressed, some of them began to suffer from deficiencies including impairment in memory, judgment and reasoning.

Published on: February 20, 2024

Unique Effects of Marijuana on Senior Car Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Driving under the influence of marijuana can be dangerous in any age category, but the drug may have a unique impact on the car accident risks of senior drivers.

According to the results of a new study, seniors who smoke marijuana and drive may have their auto accident risks impacted by their drug use. The results of the study were published in the January issue of JAMA Network Open. The study found that seniors who use marijuana may suffer from especially serious effects of the drug due to their declining cognitive skills. In the study, the researchers found that seniors who were driving under the influence of marijuana began veering in and out of lanes about 30 minutes after using the drug. Irresponsible lane changes can increase your risk of being involved in a car accident.

Marijuana use can affect motor coordination and also affect decision – making abilities. It can also affect reasoning and memory. Declining cognitive function in seniors may already exacerbate the effects of the drug, and marijuana use, the researchers say, only compounds the effects of aging – related cognitive declines. Additionally, seniors are very likely to be on medications and these medications may also impact their cognitive function and aggravate the effects of marijuana use. For instance, common medications like those that are used to treat cardiovascular problems, hypertension, diabetes and other common problems that can affect seniors could result in side effects when combined with marijuana.

Published on: February 16, 2024

Migraines Increase Car Accident Risks for Older Drivers

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Older drivers may be at a high risk of being involved in car accidents, and those risks are simply exacerbated if they also suffer from migraines.

Migraines are a common condition, especially among older people, but they may be dangerous for senior drivers. According to the results of a new study, older drivers who suffer from migraines are as much as three times more likely to be involved in a car accident. The results of the study were published recently in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. According to the researchers, migraines are already a common concern among older drivers with as many as 7% of senior drivers already diagnosed with migraines. The researchers believe that many migraines are undiagnosed which means we probably have an increasing population of older drivers on our roads who have their driving abilities impacted by their severe headaches and remain unaware of this. The researchers found a threefold increase in car accident risks for senior drivers in the 12 months after a diagnosis. Medications taken to control migraines do not seem to have any impact on car accident risks.

The researchers recommend that senior drivers who have recently been diagnosed with migraines discuss the effects of the condition on their driving abilities with their doctor. Be especially careful about the kind of medications that you take to control the pain while you drive. Also understand the dangers of introducing alcohol to the mix when you are already on medications to treat your migraines. Senior drivers already face a number of safety risks when driving and these could simply be compounded by their migraines.

Published on: December 21, 2023

Vision Loss is a Major Car Accident Risk Factor for Seniors

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Declining vision is a much more serious car accident risk factor for senior drivers than we may believe. According to the results of a new study, it is linked to an 84% higher risk of being involved in car accidents.

Seniors may suffer from a number of health challenges as they get older that increase their risks of being involved in an auto accident, and one of the most significant of those challenges is declining vision. Being unable to see clearly or the lack of a wide range of vision that allows the driver to see not just ahead but also identify auto accident risks from the sides, can significantly impact the person’s risk of being involved in a dangerous car accident. It is for this reason that most states, including Georgia, have laws in place that require senior drivers to get their eyesight tested at regular intervals as a condition for license renewal.

At a recent conference of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, researchers presented the results of a study which found that the current eye testing system that is currently followed in so many states may not be the ideal way to determine senior health and the capacity of older motorists to avoid car accidents.

Published on: October 31, 2023

Medications Most Likely to Cause Senior Auto Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

New research recently attempted to identify the various types of medications that could exacerbate a senior’s risk of being involved in car accidents, and found that painkillers and antidepressants topped the list.

A senior person may be at a much higher risk of being involved in a car accident due to a number of factors. These factors include lower vision, lower hearing abilities, delayed reaction times, impaired judgement abilities, and one of the most important of all, the side effects of medications. A senior is more likely to suffer from a number of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, and may be on medications for several of these conditions. Many of these medications do come with side effects that include drowsiness, fatigue, confusion, disorientation, lack of concentration and other symptoms.

A recent study attempted to identify the specific classifications of drugs that are most dangerous for a senior driver. The researchers followed a group of senior adults over 10 years of their lives, and focused on their performances on annual road tests. The researchers found that seniors who were on certain types of drugs were much more likely to fail their annual tests or score very low on the tests. The biggest culprits were anti – depressants and sedatives or sleeping aids which were found to have the most serious impact on senior driving skills. Seniors who used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or over-the-counter painkillers were also much more likely to do poorly on their driving skills tests. The researchers found that when the seniors were on these three different types of drugs, they were more likely to get marginal or failing scores on the driving tests.

Published on: October 27, 2023

Older Adults with ADHD at Higher Car Accident Risk

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Seniors who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may have a significantly increased risk of being involved in car accidents.

A new study finds that it is not just teens with ADHD who may be at a higher car accident risk, but also seniors between the age of 65 and 79 who may also have elevated risks as a result of their condition. The study focused on 2,800 seniors between the age of 65 and 79 . Out of these seniors, approximately 2.8% suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a condition that is categorized by high activity levels, lower attention and concentration levels and other symptoms that make it difficult for the person to concentrate and focus attention for long periods of time.

The researchers found in their analysis that seniors who suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder had a 74% higher risk of being involved in car accidents compared to those who were not diagnosed with ADHD. They were also much more likely to be involved in violations that result in traffic tickets with a 102% higher risk of traffic violations. Seniors with ADHD also had a 7% higher risk of sudden braking incidents, which often lead to auto accidents.

Published on: September 1, 2023

More than 60% of Seniors with Cognitive Declines Continue to Drive

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A vast percentage of seniors who have age-related cognitive declines continue to operate motor vehicles, seriously increasing their risks of being involved in an auto accident. Senior are especially susceptible to serious personal injuries when involved in a car accident which makes preventing these accidents a high priority.

According to a new study, far too many seniors who have impaired cognitive abilities or thinking declines as per a cognitive assessment score continue to operate motor vehicles without hesitation. The study found that more than 600 adults in a particular county suffered from thinking declines as per the cognitive assessment test, and that more than 61% of these persons who suffered cognitive declines continued to drive.

Suffering a cognitive decline does not automatically mean that a person may be unable to drive. In fact, not all of the caregivers who were involved in the study believed that the senior drivers in the study had their driving skills affected by their cognitive difficulties. About one -third of the caregivers admitted to having concerns about the driver’s ability to safely operate a car. However, there are safety issues involved when a person with cognitive issues takes to the road.

Published on: July 16, 2023

Increasing Senior Motorist Population in America and Safety Concerns

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Recent census data shows that America’s population is steadily getting older and the median age of the country is now at a record high. Over the next couple of decades, we can expect a significant increase in the number of senior drivers on our streets, demanding a closer look at the safety implications involved, including the increase risk of personal injuries from car accidents.

The US Census Bureau recently released estimates of the country’s population and these showed that the nation’s median age increased to 38.9 years between 2021 and 2022. That is a record high and is due to a steady decline in birth rates in the United States. The data shows that no state recorded a drop in median age during this time.

For anyone concerned about roadway safety in the country, these numbers merit interest. The data clearly indicates that there will be a significant increase in the population of senior drivers on our roads in the near future. There is no data to show that senior drivers are automatically more dangerous drivers than others. In fact, they have lower auto accident rates than many groups of drivers, including teenage drivers.