Should the Elderly be Allowed to Drive?

Addy Cassady
English 111
Brian Birt
18 September 2013
The Increasing Age with Increasing Limits In order to be allowed to drive a motorized vehicle a person has to go through a copious amount of tests and training to acquire a license. This person, however, is typically around the age of sixteen when they choose to participant in such events. Does that mean that they will never forget or fail to remember what they learned? Most people forget what high school is like by age fifty, what does that say about the human’s brain and their ability to retain knowledge as they age? Senior citizens need a higher driving restriction because of their known safety issues and accidents when driving on the roads and highways. Counter-arguments state that most statistics show more elderly drivers get into more fatal accidents is completely false. They describe how it is impossible to record all the accidents of each age group properly. The reason for that is because not all accidents are reported and senior citizens are just the kind of people who will report any accident. Another statement that adds to this counter-argument is the elderly are more likely to report more accidents because they are more prone to getting hurt medically in an accident than a twenty-five year old. More people argue that the elderly are overrepresented when addressing car accidents. They argue it’s not fair because younger generations get in accidents just as much if not more. Yet, senior citizens are the ones who are getting the higher driving restrictions. People against adding restrictions say it is unethical to say an elderly person cannot drive because of certain medical conditions that normally pertain to their delicate stature more than anything. Even though they are frail they still have the knowledge of how to drive a vehicle. Another argument is that when a younger person gets into an accident with an elderly person people listening to the news hear more about the older person, regardless of whether it is in a positive or negative tone. If it is true that not all accidents are reported that still does not account for the increase fatality rate after the age of sixty-five. This is a fact that even after seventy-five the fatality rate can increase up to nine times and surpass what the fatality rate is for an eighteen-year-old. People interested in these risks can imagine what the fatality rate is for the ages of eighty-five and older. The statistics do not look good either way. And with the increased population of elderly people that has an outlook of gaining, due to the baby-boomers reaching sixty-five and older, these statistics are only going to get worse and more injuries, accidents, and deaths will most likely occur. These risks are definitely not something that people just have to tolerate with until it’s too late. People can take steps to support the safety of the roads, highways, and freeways. And that is supporting to put driving restrictions on elderly people of a certain age and medical condition. For people to claim that the elderly are overrepresented is a fallacy in itself. People hear more about texting and driving accidents, than they do about the elderly getting into accidents. Yet, that doesn’t insinuate that it happens more than the other. Both of these types of accidents and injures happen equally as often. So in order to eliminate or lessen the risk of half of these accidents people need to be informed of the dangers that can occur when the elderly choose to drive in risky situations. Senior citizens have lived a long time and eventually the human body begins to break down after a certain age. The human body slowly loses its ability to repair itself as quickly and efficiently as it used to. So when the body deteriorates especially in certain areas, like the eyes, it becomes weak and unable to accomplish the tasks it normally did before. A person should have almost all five senses in perfect condition when he/she drives. When the eyes weaken it can show in a multitude of ways. Blurred vision and cataracts are the most common and most treatable, but as the body gets older it’s immune system also weakens making the body more susceptible to diseases that can affect one’s eye sight permanently. Older people have aches and pains. Most people see this as just another fact of life, but this normality could become a stepping stone to causing an accident. For example, if a woman’s neck pain had been irritating enough that she didn’t look over her shoulder to change lanes or when crossing an intersection, what threat could that pose to other drivers? Or if a man has a great deal of pain and stiffness in his leg and doesn’t get to the brake pedal in time, what happens then? Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can be a result of the brain weakening and deteriorating. Both of these cause loss of memory, judgment, thinking, reaction time, and even behavior. If reaction time is severely affected older people may be slow to react to a car coming from a side street or a vehicle suddenly stopped in front of them. People who want to lessen the danger of an accident happening can take steps to reduce these risks. After a certain age senior citizens should be required to retake a driving test and test their cognitive skills and ability. Also it depends on a person’s certain medical conditions, certain options to restrictions that can be placed. Some can include no freeway driving, no driving during restricted hours, having a support while driving, area restriction and restriction during inclement weather. It would also be recommended that an elderly person go see their family doctor and get normal exams and recommendation as to whether they should or should not drive. Most senior citizens will refuse to admit they are having trouble driving or they will not even realize that they have a problem. Taking steps to ensure more traffic and road safety is something that can prevent future fatalities. It’s not up to one person to make all the rules and set the restrictions. More people have to get involved and support the more restrictions be put on the elderly to reduce the risks of accidents.