In 2009, there were 33 million licensed drivers in the United States that were ages 65 and older. This is a 23% increase from the number of senior motorists in 1999. With life expectancy rising throughout the country, the number of elderly motorists will only increase and so will car accidents involving senior drivers.
Even though driving helps older adults stay mobile and feel independent, it also puts them at risk. Studies have shown time and again that the risk of being injured or killed in a car accident increases as we age into our senior years. In fact, injury prevention research by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that an average of 500 senior adults is injured in the United States every day due to a car accident.
The increase in risk is unfortunate but also understandable since there is an expected decline in vision and cognitive function (ability to reason and remember) as a person gets older. There may also be age-related physical changes that can affect an older person’s driving ability. In fact, studies show that elderly drivers are at an even higher risk of an accident than teenagers once they turn 75 years old.
Our personal injury and wrongful death attorneys have represented and successfully fought for the elderly. We understand the risk elderly people face behind the wheel and also when they simply go out for a walk (elderly people are more prone to being involved in fatal pedestrian accidents). In many cases senior drivers understand their decline in age, take steps to stay safe (e.g., not driving at night, avoiding rush hour) and are just looking to maintain a reasonable level of independence.
The Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys of Madalon Law understand the issues when an elderly person is seriously injured or killed in a car accident. If your family is dealing with a car accident involving an older loved one, then you need to contact our firm so we can go over your options with you. The consultation will cost you nothing and we will gladly answer your questions.
When the elder driver is at fault, there would need to be a detailed investigation to show the extent of driver impairment and the decline in vision, reflexes, hearing and cognitive ability decline with age. Proving these factors could greatly assist the injured victim in recovering the financial compensation deserved for lost wages, property damage, medical bills, pain, and suffering.
There are great driver safety programs that are geared towards the elderly – the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety offers a hand full of them. Insurance companies are also getting involved by offering senior citizen reduced premiums for drivers that take these safety courses. If you feel the time has come for a loved one to stop driving because they are no longer able to operate a vehicle safely, then you need to keep in mind that driving makes a person feel free and independent. Taking steps and alternate measures to let them know they can still be mobile might be all that is needed for a loved one to willingly hand over the keys for good.
The Broward car accident attorneys of Madalon Law fight for the injured throughout the State of Florida. If you’ve been injured in a car accident the was caused by the other driver, contact the injury attorneys of Madalon Law for a free consultation.
Most people are not aware of how the law works, the rights they have and the amount of compensation they can be entitled to after they have been injured in an accident that was the result of another party’s negligence. The obstacles and confusion that follow an accident and an injury can seem overwhelming.