___Cheise Americans When It’s Time To Not Drive (NAPSA)—Staying on the road to safety may be harder for many elderly drivers than they realize. The Danger According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, senior citizens account for only 9 percent of the population but almost 14 percent of fatal traffic accidents. As people age, their driving patterns change. Retirement, dif- ferent schedules and new activities affect when and where they drive. Although most older adults drive safely because they have a lot of experience behind the wheel, \ we 4 Sa Older drivers tend to have slower coordination, age-related declines in vision, hearing and other abilities, and are involved in more than their share of car accidents. when they are involved in crashes, they may be hurt more seriously than youngerdrivers. Manysee driving as an important part of staying independent, and people 70 and older tend to keep their licenses longer and drive more miles than in the past. What To Do Elderly drivers and the people who care for them should have a trusted doctor check their eyes and reflexes to determine whether they should be driving anymore. If it seems a driver you care about should be off the road, listen to his or her concerns and feelings on the subject. Explore the possibilities. Are there solutions that could keep him or her driving safely longer, such as getting new glasses or only driving during the day? Try to arrange for alternative transportation so he doesn’t feel trapped at home. If she sells her car, remind her of the money she’ll save on insurance and maintenance—which can be used for buses andtaxis. Having this talk may not be easy but you could savea life. Learn More For a checklist of which incidents indicate an older person or parent should stop driving, visit www.accidentattorneys.org.
