A lot of us have had to have a talk with our grandparents or parents about how they are on the road. There comes a time when caring for yourself can become difficult, as an older person, especially when driving. What can you do to ensure the older person in your life is being safe behind the wheel? Here are a few ideas about how and why driving can be dangerous for older drivers, and what you can do to help.
A special population
Older drivers, those in their 70s and 80s, are at special risk when they go out on the road. Because of their age, they have higher risks to consider in the event of a crash. In a study, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), found that drivers aged 75 and up were approximately “4 times as likely to die as middle-aged drivers when they’re involved in a side-impact crash and about 3 times as likely to die in a frontal crash.”
The good news
There is, however, some good news to be had in all this. Apparently, drivers in their 70s and 80s, while they are at risk, are facing less risks nowadays. These older drivers have had fewer crashes and fewer police-reported crashes than those who are middle-aged. This is attributed partly to advances in health and medicine keeping people more cognizant, expansion of infrastructure, and new licensing laws.
The downside
The real reason that older people are vulnerable to accidents is a combination of their older cars and older senses and bodies. Older drivers are less likely to have a state of the art car. This means that their cars could be missing key safety features such as rearview cameras, working airbags, or emergency braking capabilities. Older people are also likely to fall for scams and disreputable business owners. This can lead to incomplete or shoddy mechanic work on these already older cars. Another factor is their bone density and something called “crash fragility,” which means they just do not stand up to impact as well as younger drivers. The issue of hearing, reacting, and seeing well on the road comes up as well.
What can you do?
Keep constant communication with your parents or relatives. Make sure they have a good person caring for their car, one who you both can trust. Take them for regular checkups for cognition, hearing, and vision; and make sure you find the results and discuss them with a doctor.
As you can see, there are a lot of reasons to watch out for the oldest members of your family when they get behind the wheel. The best thing to do is to be in touch as much as possible. It is also important to send someone to check in on your relative if you are not close enough to do so regularly. Changes can be hard, but also necessary. So let’s start 2022 doing what’s right for the people we love, and check in on an older friend or family member today.
blogs
What Causes Truck Tire Blowouts and What to Do When a Truck Tire Hits Your Car
18-wheeler trucks and other commercial vehicles are the backbone of our economy. They deliver nearly 70% of all freight transported annually, and account for over 700 billion of the country’s revenue annually. Just because they’re critical to our economy, it doesn’t make them less dangerous. For instance, although it’s not as bad as a truck […]
Holiday Travel Safety
As we get into the holiday season, it’s a good time to think of some relaxing times spent at home with loved ones. Having a nice meal, meeting new spouses and grandchildren, or just coming together finally after a long time apart- it is a period of joy and togetherness. For these reasons and more, […]
Mold and LA Renters — Know Your Rights
You may have heard of “mold growth” in passing. Depending on the situation, the story you heard may have been about a simple annoyance, a house deal that fell through, or a sneezing fit. However, there are a lot worse stories than that out there; mold can cause severe allergies, incapacitation, and even worse health […]
Five Helpful Facts About Dog Bites
Dog bites are not only relatively common, but they can be incredibly dangerous. If you’re bitten by a dog, you run the risk of the obvious wound to your flesh or bone, but you also are at risk for an infection, including tetanus and rabies. It can be helpful to know how to treat such […]
Five Tips for Summer Road Trip Safety
Summer time means warmer weather, and that means road trip time. Whether you’re heading down the street or across the country, there’s always a potential obstacle waiting for you. There’s no reason not to put together a safety checklist, and practice safe driving habits before everything gets crazy. For proper road safety, you’ll want to […]
California Lemon Laws: How Exactly Do They Work?
Buying a car in California, whether brand new or slightly used is always an exciting experience. Even if you already have a few in your garage, the thought of painting the town red in a new ride is nothing but thrilling. So, it can be incredibly disappointing if your new or used car keeps on […]
Bike Maintenence Checklist
For those of us who bike to work, it’s clear that riding around is more than a hobby. Biking is something that can improve your mental and physical health. It can become a way of life, because to do it right takes commitment. You need to learn the best and fastest bike routes, have all […]
Top 3 Benefits of Engaging a Car Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles
Top 3 Benefits of Engaging a Car Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles Being in a car accident, regardless of how minor, can be pretty devastating. So, if you’ve recently been involved in a car accident in Los Angeles and you are confused, we assure you it is completely normal to feel that way. Car accidents […]
The Most Common Types of Motorcycle Injury
The Most Common Types of Motorcycle Crashes According to the National Institute of Health, there are four main types of motorcycle crashes. Distinguishing these by category helps determine patterns that can later be used to help treat such accidents. The four main types are: The Most Common Injuries on a Motorcycle In the same study, […]
4 Common Mistakes that Ruin Workers Compensation Claims
Thousands of workers are injured annually while at the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one worker succumbed to workplace injuries every 99 minutes in 2019, while over 99,000 others retained non-fatal injuries. Despite the prevalence of workplace injuries and the increasing number of workers compensation claims, only a few victims are usually […]
contact form
