Thursday, October 31, 2013

Be Safe While You Drive; Aged People Are Most Likely To Face Fatal Crashes


As we grow older, it's normal for us to change our driving abilities. We can continue safe driving long into our senior years by reducing risk factors and incorporating thorough safe driving practices. Seeking alternative methods of transportation can offer health and social benefits, as well as a welcome change to pace up life.

Everyone becomes old and ages differently, so there remains no arbitrary cut off as to when they should stop driving. However it is proven that old people are more likely to receive traffic citations and get into accidents than their younger counterparts. In fact, fatal accident rates rise sharply after one attains the age of 70.  Now, the question is what causes this increase? As we grow older, factors such as decreased vision, impaired hearing, or slowed motor reflexes may pose a threat to our driving abilities.

Old age tends to result in reduction of strength, coordination and flexibility that can cause a major impact on your ability for safely controlling a car. As for example:
  • Pain or stiffness in your back can make it harder for you to look over your shoulder for changing lanes; or even prove fatal while you tend to take left and right at intersections for checking other traffic or pedestrians.
  • Your leg pain can make it difficult for you to move your foot from the gas to the brake pedal.
  • Your weak arm strength can make it hard for you to turn the steering wheel quickly and effectively.
  • Reaction time also slows down with age. It is obvious for you to get slower for spotting vehicles emerging from your adjacent pavements and driveways, or to realize that the vehicle ahead of you has slowed down or stopped.
  • It becomes difficult for you to keep track of so many road signs, signals, and markings, as well as all the other traffic and pedestrians. It can also become more difficult as you lose the ability to effectively divide your attention between multiple activities.
You may have the experience of driving your entire life and take great pride in your safety record, but as you grow old, it becomes necessary for you to realize that your driving abilities may have degraded. However, to continue driving safely, you need to understand that conversion may happen. It is advised to get help when the ages begin showing its effects.


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