Understanding the Impact of Car Accidents on Senior Drivers
For many senior citizens, maintaining independence is a top priority. Driving is a key part of that—seniors who can drive themselves to their own medical appointments, visits with grandchildren, and social outings are often just happier with life in general. However, driving is substantially more dangerous for senior drivers. A lot of factors contribute to this, and there’s a lot that seniors and their loved ones can do to minimize these risks.
Have you been hurt in a crash? The team at Reeves & Mestayer should be your next call. Call us at 855-558-2977 to schedule a consultation with our team of Biloxi personal injury lawyers.
Factors Impacting a Senior’s Safe Driving
Several different factors make driving inherently riskier for senior citizens. To start, the aging process leads to a wide range of physical changes. They may experience a decrease in fine motor skills, which can make many driving maneuvers challenging. Additionally, vision tends to worsen with age, so senior drivers may be on the road not even knowing that they should be wearing glasses.
While this topic is difficult for seniors to discuss, cognitive changes are also part of the aging process. As a senior ages, they may struggle to concentrate, recall important facts, make quick decisions, or make sound decisions for the situation at hand. These can all contribute to car accidents.
Finally, health issues are a common part of aging for many people. The health conditions themselves, as well as the medications used to treat them, can lead to accidents.
Senior Accident Statistics
The statistics on senior drivers are shocking. Between 2020 and 2021, fatalities of drivers over the age of 65 increased 15%. This is part of a larger trend; in the last decade, fatalities have jumped 34% even though the senior population has only grown 29%. In general, crash rates steadily decrease after age 34. That reverses once drivers reach the age of 65, at which point collision rates tick upward.
This may be due in part to the rapid growth in the senior population. The CDC reports that the number of licensed senior drivers has increased by 68% since 2020. There simply hasn’t been this large of an older population on the roads before, so public agencies did not know what to do to make the roads safer for them.
How Accidents Can Affect Senior Drivers
Not only are senior drivers more likely to be involved in collisions, they are more likely to suffer significantly worse outcomes than drivers in other age groups. Senior drivers are at greater risk of bone breaks, due to age-related decreases in bone density. This can delay the healing process and make a driver bed-bound for weeks or months as they recover.
Furthermore, senior citizens’ bodies may struggle to control bleeding in a crash, due to health issues and medications that senior citizens commonly use. This can lead to a dramatic loss of blood, even with the help of immediate medical care.
Finally, senior drivers often experience profoundly negative psychological effects after a collision. Fear and anxiety may take root in their minds, making it harder for them to drive and reach out to loved ones. They may then struggle to ask loved ones for help getting around and choose to isolate themselves instead. In turn, their overall independence begins to wane, further decreasing their quality of life.
Protecting Senior Drivers
There are many public programs and legislative efforts in place to protect senior drivers. Many states have more stringent license renewal requirements for aging drivers. In Mississippi, drivers aged 75 or older must renew their licenses in person at a DPS office. This also involves a vision test, which allows the DPS to catch vision issues before they become serious enough to cause a collision. If the DPS deems it necessary, it can also require a written or skills test.
If a skills test highlights deficiencies in a senior driver’s abilities, the DPS may opt to add restrictions on their license. Common restrictions include no nighttime driving, additional mirrors required on the vehicle, and no freeway driving.
Start Your Personal Injury Claim with Reeves & Mestayer
Have you been injured in a crash with a senior driver? It’s time to find out if you’re entitled to compensation. Set up a free consultation with Reeves & Mestayer by filling out our online contact form or calling us at 855-558-2977.
