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
Five Apps Every Trucker Should Have
Driving a tractor trailer or any other large vehicle isn’t just about long hours, lots of miles and making sure you’re still driving safely after those lengthy days. It’s a lifestyle, and like any other connected lifestyle in the 21st century, there are plenty of apps to go around designed to help make a truck […]
Workman’s Compensation — When to Hire an Attorney
Workman’s Compensation is a right for all employees in California. It seems like a simple idea, and one designed with the workers’ best interests in mind. The truth, unfortunately, can be a lot more complicated than that. Avoid learning this lesson out the hard way by hiring a qualified attorney as soon as you are […]
Winter Driving Safety Tips
Having your winter tires installed on your car and packing a windshield scraper is a good start to being prepared to drive in the winter, but as the cold weather gets harsher, the driving conditions get worse. With this comes the tendency for some people to overcorrect or not know how to stop properly, or […]
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 […]
Safety and Defensive Driving Tips for Truck Drivers
The old saying goes, the best offense is a good defense. According to research, accidents caused by big rigs or the 18-wheelers have increased by 52% since 2009. Safe and defensive driving involves saving lives, time, and money regardless of the conditions around you or other road users. Defensive driving for truck drivers goes beyond […]
Bicycle Safety Tips
Bicycling might be the true essence of freedom in transportation. No dependence on anyone to get around except yourself, no motor to make you drive out of control, and you can park your bike just about anywhere. Still, safety while riding a bicycle is just as important as with any other mode of transportation, especially […]
Common Causes for Tractor Trailer Accidents
There’s a good reason tractor trailers require a specialty license to operate them. They’re big, fast, heavy, and – in the wrong conditions – incredibly dangerous. It is estimated that 3.5 percent of all automobileaccidents each year involve tractor trailers. Around 4,600 of these result in some sort of fatality. This can be due to […]
Involved In A Car Accident? Here’s Why You Should Engage a Car Accident Lawyer
It is never easy to live a normal life after surviving the horrors of a severe car wreck. In the United States alone, millions of individuals get injured in car accidents every year. According to research, most of these disasters are caused by several factors that include speeding, inattentive driving, inexperienced driving, reckless driving, and […]
Lemon Laws for Defective Hyundai Vehicles in California
If your newly acquired or leased Hyundai car has repeated problems that require repair, the vehicle manufacturer or its licensed representative owes you a refund, repair, or replacement. If you wind up with a lemon car and the manufacturer is not willing to take care of the vehicle, you will need to seek the counsel […]
Commercial Truck Accidents
While it may not seem like it, there are bigger differences when dealing with a truck accident than just the size of the vehicle. Although they are well insured, companies with commercial trucks will fire back at you with a whole legal team to avoid paying out for damage, injury, or even death. This is […]
contact form
