In a July 2006 issue of the New York Times, an opinion piece was printed. Andrew L. Haas remembered pieces of an accident that disrupted his entire existence as an athlete and physician.He began the article by saying, "a 75-year-old man turned left and drove directly into me, cracking my bike in half and sending me to the operating room and intensive care unit, for the next three months I fought for my life. My injuries included a fractured pelvis, 15 fractured vertebrae, multiple facial fractures, an open triceps laceration, two collapsed lungs and severe blood loss"(Hass). Andrew Haas followed the case of the man who severely injured him and found that, "he was charged with failure to yield and issued a $128 dollar fine. He is permitted to drive without restriction and without any assessment of his competence" (Hass). This and other accidents prove that, annual driving tests should be implemented for elderly drivers. In his article he states that doctors are required to take annual courses to retain hospital privileges and licenses. He implies that the tests and classes are just an extra precaution to make sure that the number of patients injured, or killed by medical error are kept to a minimum. Why aren't elderly drivers required to do the same? Since the number of fatal accidents among drivers age sixty-five and up is already exceeding the high rate among drivers under the age of twenty five, elderly drivers that sometimes haven't been assessed in almost ten or fifteen should have their driving abilities and reflexes tested.
One of the leading causes of death among sixth-five to seventy-five year olds is motor vehicle injury. It is also the second leading cause among seventy-five to eighty-four year olds. How can such high rates go unnoticed? According to the Loyola University Health System, "persons 65 years old and older make up 13 percent of the population" (Loyola). Since 1998, the number of elderly drivers involved in accidents has increased faster than their increase in the population. Unfortunately, very few states have implemented plans to gauge the ability of elderly who operate vehicles. Drivers under the age of 21 who, until only recently, were only slightly above the margin of elders are put through a series of tests and reprimanded almost immediately any time a traffic accident occurs. Drivers in lower age groups must always have another licensed adult present while operating a vehicle. After a few months of operation those drivers must then be tested for adherence and return periodically for renewal. Unfortunately, there are older drivers who proved to be as much of a risk. Most of these drivers have licenses labeled, "lifetime." This means that the license never expires. Yet, "7,078 people 65 years and older died in motor vehicle crashes" six years ago (Loyola). It is true that as age increases, on average, health decreases. Shouldn't the health of elderly drivers in areas that may affect efficiency be checked periodically? According to the Decatur Daily, "At 69...Alabama statistics show that the advantage reverses and accidents increase as depth perception and mobility decrease" (Ellington).
As age and medication increases, a person's ability to make clear judgment may be impaired. Many of the medications that are used to treat illnesses associated with age cause: dizziness, slow reflex ability and blurred vision. According to the Loyola University Health System, "Some impairments that commonly interfere with safe driving are vision and hearing problems, physical disabilities, and medication-induced dizziness or confusion. Individuals with glaucoma or cataracts often have poor night vision. Also, eye drops can interfere with the ability to adjust to low light or sudden brightness, such as the glare of oncoming headlights." (Loyola) Other factors such as hearing loss may occur during the aging process. Individuals who reach old age usually have a hard time making out what some one a few yards away from them is saying. Imagine if the same person were behind the wheel of a vehicle. This person likes to listen to the news in the morning on the radio. Although the radio isn't being played loudly, the driver is trying to take in the sound of the speaker, his vehicle and the sounds of his surroundings. If it is hard for the driver to hear someone a few yards away, how can it be possible to recognize the sound of the horn of a car half a city block from him? Wearing a hearing aid or reducing the amount of interference while driving can help with this problem. Yet, it is evident in statistics that not everyone is adheres fully to this form of precaution. Diseases that trigger the joints can slow the reflexes. Loyola University reports, "Arthritis or Parkinson's can decrease reaction time" (Loyola). The use of hands may become painful during the driving process, or the loss of sensation may decrease in lower limbs. Medications used to reduce aching muscles, and antidepressants may cause many of the same symptoms. A few elderly drivers have been noted for driving up the wrong side of the highway. Recently, an older man in Birmingham, Alabama was seen driving at least two blocks on a one-way street in the wrong direction.
There have been drivers involved in awful accidents that haven't been tested in decades. In a recent news report, "Byron Cox, a 39-year-old driv... hadn’t taken a road test since he got his licen... in 1918" (Morris). Unfortunately, this driver took the life of a 15-year-old girl on a crosswalk. The upside of this tragedy is that a proposal was written in Santa Monica that urged California drivers age 75 and older to pass a written and road test when their licenses come up for renewal. As of last year, "Drivers aged 75 and older had a 37 percent higher crash rate than younger drivers" (Reutter). No state requires mental or competency test to obtain a new license. This is especially a drawback since many elderly drivers aren't fully aware of their loss many cognitive abilities. Until the government makes an effort to assist these experienced drivers' maintaining of proper driving habits, the amount of accidents and fatalities among this age group will continue to rise.
According to senior citizens groups, placing an age requirement on license renewals is a form of age discrimination. Elderly drivers feel that their particular age group is being targeted because they a vulnerable. Elderly drivers may feel that they are more responsible than younger drivers. CNN reports, "Many older drivers increase their safety on the road by driving only during daylight and finding routes that involving less traffic or no left hand turns" (Morris). Also, there may be insurance companies that help older drivers remain sharp. AARP is one company that offers driving courses to help refresh the skills of older drivers. Not all elderly drivers have resources available to remain mobile if they do not pass a new driving test. With the need for medications, doctor's appointments, and normal life necessities, this will virtually handicap some elderly people. A 76-year-old woman by the name of Emma Preston says, "I need to drive. I live in an area where there are no buses" (Morris). Emma thinks, "It isn't just older people who can be poor drivers, [younger drivers] can also be" (Morris).
Unfortunately, most elderly drivers take extra precaution to make sure that their small
disabilities don't impair their judgment, not all of them. If using extra precaution
were the only answer, the number of fatalities and injuries related to crashes wouldn't
be on such a rise. Younger drivers have extended periods of guardianship during driving and
restrictions placed on them to ensure that they are practicing proper driving techniques.
Therefore, it is impossible to say that one age group is being targeted more than the other.
It is common for a person to fear he will fail test before he takes it. But, if a driver
operates a vehicle on a daily basis, recalling the rules of driving should be easy. In
many states, especially Alabama, there are other methods of transportation for any one who
cannot operate a vehicle. Insurance companies are wonderful in implementing driving courses,
yet the downside is that not all insurance companies offer this option. To be more frank,
not all elderly drivers even have insurance. The implementation of a test for older drivers
will only be used to increase the amount of safety and decrease the amount of fatalities
on the road.
The growing number of traffic accidents among elderly drivers can be stunted and decreased by a number of questions. Also, the cost of the testing would definitely pan out to a minimum number. In calculating the cost of such a plan, the only factors are: cost of labor and transportation to a testing site. The number of tests multiplied by the amount it will cost to take these tests will compensate for labor. For example, if testing is put under a five-dollar fee and people are only tested annually, a fewer number of man-hours will be used to implement the tests. The few hours that are used will be covered by thousands of drivers that all pay five dollars a piece on their visit. As for getting to the testing site, there are local Departments of Motor Vehicles in every major neighborhood. If not, the cost of the city bus is one dollar and twenty-five cents for a round trip to anywhere. Even better, the cost for senior citizens is less than half this amount. Since Alabama has adopted electronic testing as the normal drivers' testing equipment, the materials needed to implement this plan are already present. Hopefully, the fear of failure won't impair the judgment of a generation that has accomplished a lifetime of achievements.
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