Traffic safety is vital for drivers of all ages, but older drivers experience physical changes that can affect driving ability including changes in vision, reaction time and flexibility. However, these skills deteriorate slowly over time, which is why it's important for drivers to regularly "self-check" their driving skills. The most important physical aspect of driving is seeing. In fact, 85% of driving is visual and 15% of driving is skill. It is proven that after age 40, eyesight deteriorates. A 60-year old driver requires ten times as much light to see as a 19 year old. Eyesight should be checked every two years, as opposed to relying on the test given by the Department of Motor Vehicles during license renewal. Senior drivers are generally smart drivers. They know their limitations, so they drive less, less at night and less in inclement weather. However, senior drivers injure more easily than younger drivers. The problem is not that senior drivers crash more but that they are more likely to die from injuries or get hurt.
In fact:
- Seniors kill fewer motorists and pedestrians than drivers of any other age group
- Seniors have the lowest crash involvement rates per licensed driver
- Seniors have the lowest rate of crash involvement rates involving alcohol impairment
- Seniors have the highest rates of seat belt use among adults