Special Safety Issues Facing Older Drivers and Pedestrians

NEW YORK, NY, March 19, 2012 (Press-News.org) As we most of us already know, aging usually means we'll experience more problems with our hearing, vision and motor skills. In order to grow older safely, we must first recognize our vulnerabilities. Once we do this, we can adapt our behavior in order to create a safer environment for ourselves and everyone else.

The following statistics shed light on the special safety issues facing seniors both behind the wheel and when walking around as pedestrians.

Safety Issues for Senior Drivers/Pedestrians

(Note: In 2009, approximately 40 million Americans were age 65 and older. That's equal to about 13 percent of our national population.)

- During 2009, 16 percent of all traffic fatalities occurred among those age 65 and older;

- In addition to the 5,288 people killed in this age group, another 187,000 were injured in collisions;

- Almost 80 % of those involved in fatal car crashes were wearing restraints or seat-belts upon impact - compared to only 64 percent of those between the ages of 18 and 64;

- In 2008, there were 32 million licensed drivers age 65 and older. This represented a 20 percent increase in this age group since 1999;

- About 81% of the time, drivers age 65 and older had their accidents during the day in 2009. Approximately 71% of those collisions occurred during the week and 69% of them involved other vehicles;

- People age 65 and older are usually responsible drinkers. They have the lowest percentage of drivers (of any age group) whose tests reveal a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher;

- Since 2008, there's been a four percent decrease in the number of people killed in auto collisions involving older drivers;

- In 2008, when both an older driver and a younger one were involved in a fatal collision, the older person's vehicle was 1.7 as likely to have been the car that was struck;

- When many collisions occur, the older driver is four times more likely to have been making a left hand turn when the accident took place;

- In 2009, when older pedestrians were hit and killed by cars, 64% of those incidents took place at non-intersections;

These statistics reveal some interesting facts. Senior drivers must be especially careful when executing left-hand turns and would be wise to try and avoid such turns as often as possible. Older drivers should never assume that driving during the day is always safer since the majority of their accidents appear to occur when visibility is at its peak. However, seniors should be commended for usually handling their drinking and driving in a responsible manner.

When it comes to being pedestrians, older Americans need to realize that crossing streets away from busy intersections can sometimes be just as dangerous as them at intersections during rush hour traffic.

(Note: Readers can review additional data on these topics in the Department of Transportation's Traffic Safety Facts publication: DOT HS 811 391).

New York Personal Injury Lawyers
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