Every year, Senior Driver Safety Awareness Week draws awareness to the specific challenges that our senior driving community faces. Age-related changes in vision, poorer reflexes, and other issues make driving harder for senior drivers, who encounter constant challenges on the road.  Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, old driving can still result in severe injuries and crashes.  

You can protect your rights in the case of an accident and the safety of your loved ones by staying aware of the challenges involved with senior driving. If someone old in your family is involved in a car accident, contact a Hialeah Personal Injury Attorney. 

Challenges Face By Senior Drivers On The Road

Numerous difficulties linked to aging can impact your driving. Among the most common challenges faced by older drivers are the following:

• Reduced vision: As you become older, your eyes become less sensitive to light, which impairs the ability to detect depth, peripheral vision, and acuity. Older drivers run a higher risk of collisions because they might miss traffic signals, lights, or other motorists.

• Cognitive impairment: Memory and decision-making constitute the two cognitive processes required for safe driving. Seniors with memory loss, including people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, may become hazardous drivers if they take their vehicles out without guidance.

• Side Effects of Medication: Elderly people regularly take a variety of medications, which can influence their consciousness, cognition, and general driving performance.

To make matters even more complicated, these issues may lead some older drivers to develop a fear of driving, which may result in anxiety and a significant decline in their driving skills.

Why are senior drivers more vulnerable while operating an older car?

The higher death rate among older drivers involved in accidents is not just because of their aging weakness. Our elderly drivers’ cars are getting older as well. Research shows that drivers aged 70 and beyond prefer to drive older, smaller vehicles lacking current security features like electronic stability control (ESC) and driver-side airbags that protect the head. The driver is far more at risk for deadly accidents without any of these safety features. 

How to Keep Your Elderly Family Members Safe While Driving

Despite the challenges that they might face, senior drivers can still drive with greater proficiency and prevent accidents by doing the following actions:

• Wearing spectacles if their vision is impaired; 
• Being open and aware of their driving skills; 
• Going to regular medical and vision examinations;
• Creating plans for alternative means of transportation;
• Attend a driver safety course to keep up with your abilities.

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