Making Roads Safer for Senior Drivers

Experience counts. And seniors are the most experienced drivers on the road. They have fewer accidents and tend to drive safer cars. However, drivers aged 70 years and older have higher rates of fatal crashes, based on miles driven, than any other group except drivers who are 16 to 19 years old.

If you have concerns about an elderly parent or friend driving, you may want to be aware of a few signs of possible unsafe driving behavior. Some indicators include drivers who:

• Have small dents, scratches, or other marks on their car.
• May have trouble reading or seeing road signs while driving.
• Are easily distracted or startled while driving.
• Have difficulty turning their head from left to right.
• Experience loss of hearing.

Online quizzes and interactive driving evaluation courses from groups such as AAA can also help driver evaluate their skills. Other resources can be found at SeniorDriving.AAA.com.