Reasons Why Elderly Drivers are Prone to Road Accidents

Article Written By: georgefuller

Road accidents happen because of a lot of factors. Then there are certain types of distractions such as the use of mobile phones, putting a CD on the car stereo, picking up objects on the car floor, and even outside distractions. Aside from these common causes, road accidents happen because of aging. How so?

It is said that teenagers who are beginners in driving a car are prone to road accidents because of their overconfidence behind the wheel. While that is true, there is another age group that is even more prone to accidents than teenagers. That age group is none other than the elderly; ages 65 and above.

Statistics show that there has been an increase in the rate of road fatalities in elderly drivers above the age of 65 that they would surpass the fatality rate of the teenage drivers. Aging is the main reason deaths happen not only to the elderly drivers but to other motorists and pedestrians as well. Their physical and mental framework continues to diminish at this point, which is why they are more prone to such accidents.

One factor that causes road accidents involving the elderly is the continuous deterioration in mental ability. Before, when they are in the middle part of their adulthood, they can still respond quickly through their reflexes. When their mental ability begins to deteriorate, they are rather sluggish and cannot come up with fast road decisions. They may even step on the wrong pedal; they wanted to slow down but instead they step on the accelerator.

Another factor is vision. They may still be able to put their eyes on the road, but their vision, as they continue to age, goes into a decline. Another would be the occurrence of ailments involving their joints and muscles. Aging drivers can still drive, but when arthritis and muscle pain strikes, they may have a hard time stepping on the pedal or accelerator, or even steer the wheel.

The elderly, despite their ability to drive, must know when to stop driving. These factors can, in one way, turn their driving leisure into a disastrous one. The Santa Monica personal injury lawyer handles such cases wherein elderly drivers may be held liable for their actions. They can avoid getting sued though by assessing their own health and their ability to drive.

About the Author

Jon - santa monica personal injury attorney and California Disability Attorneys.

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