Category: Older Driver Safety In The News

Joyce Bill Focuses on Older Drivers

State Sen. Brian A. Joyce is filing a bill to require people over the age of 85 to pass a road test when they renew their license.

BOSTON – Eight years ago, a constituent told Sen. Brian A. Joyce, D-Milton, of her concerns about the driving of her elderly mother.

The call prompted Joyce to sponsor a law, passed in 2010, requiring people over 75 years old to take an eye exam and renew their driver’s license in person every five years.

Now Joyce is filing a bill to require people over the age of 85 to pass a road test when they renew their license.

“Prior to 2010, you’d take a driver’s test at 161/2 and then never again,” Joyce said. “This would strike most people as unwise.”

Joyce said he would accept a simulated road test, but he insists that something needs to be done.

“At 85, a great wealth of data suggests that there is a drop in cognitive and physical abilities and reactions,” Joyce said.

The Joint Committee on Transportation postponed a hearing on the bill following the snow cancellations Wednesday.

Joyce has received a large amount of negative blowback from constituents and advocacy groups since the bill was filed, but he insists it’s a pro-senior bill meant to protect everyone. He also supported legislation to restrict teenage driving, but didn’t face the voter wrath prompted by his current proposal.

Joyce said he understands how precious independence is to seniors but eventually most drivers must call it quits.

“My father was the best driver I ever knew, but there comes a point where we had to talk with him (about no longer driving).” Joyce said.

The AARP of Massachusetts declined to comment on the legislation. Joyce said the group has opposed the bill.

Mary Maguire, director of public and legislative affairs at AAA, said setting the law at age 85 is arbitrary. She also said many seniors drive more safely than younger drivers.

“We believe that driving ability is not a function of chronological age,” Maguire said. “Some people might be impaired at 45, so it’s hard to assign an arbitrary number to driving competency.”

Maguire said senior drivers police themselves by choosing to not drive at night, to not drive during rush hour, and to drive more slowly. She said younger drivers are the highest risk because of a lack of experience and judgment.

“Drivers of all ages should be working to sharpen their driving skills because it’s the most dangerous thing we do on a daily basis,” Maguire said.

Elizabeth Dugan, an associate professor of gerontology at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, also disagrees with the bill.

“Our society is aging and we’ll adapt,” Dugan said. “Just as elders check their blood pressure and weight, they’ll check their driving ability.”

Joyce remains confident that the bill will pass despite the opposition.

“It’s beyond commonsensical that we have to ensure people are safe,” Joyce said. “Eventually this too shall pass.”

Source: The Enterprise

Elderly Driver who Crashed into New Smyrna Beach Hospital Failed Vision Test

Feb. 7, 2014

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — 

Changes for Older Drivers Nixed

By: Chelyen Davis / The Free Lance-Star

RICHMOND—Perhaps Sen. Jeff McWaters, R–Virginia Beach, shouldn’t have been surprised the Senate voted down his “mature driver” bill.

Even his 85-year-old mother opposed it, McWaters said.

Had it passed, McWaters’ mother—and all drivers older than 75—would have to be re-tested by the Department of Motor Vehicles every five years, rather than the current eight. The bill also would have required anyone over age 75—rather than 80, the current law—to appear in person at the DMV to renew their license. It allowed mature drivers to go to driver improvement classes specifically for older drivers, and it also would have allowed people who report poor driving by elderly drivers to the DMV to stay anonymous. Currently only relatives of the person or a medical professional who is treating him or her can report such a driver and remain anonymous.

McWaters, who is 57, said the bill was the result of a study that the Senate itself asked the DMV to do. The bill was a recommendation of that study, and was backed by the AARP, among a variety of other groups.

“The only person that was really against the bill was my mom,” McWaters said.

But that was before he encountered 19 other senators who voted against his bill. Some said their constituents would be up in arms over it.

“This bill is likely to be a looming cloud over our mature population in the state,” said Sen. Dick Black, R–Loudoun, who is 69. “I think it would be something that constantly is a worry to them. Every time we take away the right of mobility from senior citizens, what we’re doing is placing the obligation on the state of Virginia to move them around. You’re going to instill a great deal of fear among your constituents.”

And others took it perhaps a bit more personally.

“All you whippersnappers in here who vote for this bill, your time is coming,” said Sen. Dick Saslaw, D–Fairfax, who is 73.

The final vote on McWaters’ bill was 19–19, with Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam casting the tie-breaking no vote.

A House version of the bill has had a much easier time. It passed through committee without a single no vote, and is currently on the calendar for a full House vote this week.

Source: Fredericksburg.com

How old is too old to drive?

January 22, 2014, by Bryan Polcyn.

Journal Times editorial: Proposal to test senior drivers’ vision is reasonable

January 07, 2014 – The Journal Times Editorial Board

Many people have had the awkward, tense experience of sitting down with an aging mom and dad and starting up the discussion about driving.

It usually doesn’t go well. People of driving age don’t want to be told they cannot drive.

But there comes a point when some people should get off the road.

As one way to help make roads safer, state Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, recently proposed requiring elderly drivers to pass vision exams every four years instead of every eight.

In Wisconsin, drivers who have advanced beyond a probationary license must take a vision test every eight years to renew their driver’s licenses. Lehman’s proposal would change that to every four years for those 75 and older; they would have to pass a vision exam but would not have to retake a driving test, he said. They also could take the exam at their regular eye doctor, rather than visiting a state Division of Motor Vehicles location.

This proposal seems like a good compromise.

In the past, there have been proposals to require aging drivers to take mandatory driving tests. The problem with these tests is that they don’t necessarily show someone’s true ability because you could get so nervous and end up making a careless mistake.

Also, Lehman said, the cost for his proposal is minimal compared to one that would require more road tests.

Naturally, the proposal is not popular with everyone.

While AARP-Wisconsin didn’t take a position on the proposal, spokesman Jim Flaherty said that the organization in general “does not favor legislation that looks at drivers based solely on their age. Diminished capacity of driving is not necessarily linked to age,” according to a report in the Jan. 2 Journal Times.

We also have had reluctance to single out people based solely on age. Some 100-year-old drivers could easily out-drive their 40-year-old counterparts. Older drivers tend to take more precautions regarding when to drive and are less likely to drink and drive.

Yet seniors top the charts when it comes to fatal crashes, right next to young, inexperienced drivers.

We have strict laws here in Wisconsin for young drivers because of their inexperience.

While seniors have years of experience, they can face other challenges that should also be addressed.

With age, vision tends to diminish, pain or stiffness in the neck can make it harder to check for traffic, leg pain can make it harder to push on the gas or brake pedals and reaction time also slows.

No one should ever say: “You just turned 75, now hand over your license.” On the other hand, requiring eye tests every four years rather than eight years doesn’t seem heavy-handed.

Lehman’s proposal should be able to get bipartisan support. But, no matter what happens with this bill, we hope seniors, doctors and adult children alike don’t shy away from the tough discussions on driving. We would much rather see someone willingly hand over a license than be forced to give it up.

Source: The Journal Times

House panel OKs tighter regulation of older drivers

By Bill Sizemore
The Virginian-Pilot

Legislation to tighten state regulation of older drivers got off to a fast start in a House subcommittee today.

Del. Tim Hugo’s bill (HB771) shortens the renewal period for a driver’s license from eight to five years for motorists 75 and older.

It also requires those drivers to appear in person and pass a vision test for license renewal. Under current law, that’s not necessary until age 80.

In addition, the legislation provides for a “mature driver motor vehicle crash prevention” course as an option for judges handling traffic cases.

The subcommittee heard from a variety of speakers supporting the bill, including Bryan Morrell of Fairfax County, whose brother Darren was killed in 2011 when his motorcycle was hit by a car with an 85-year-old driver.

The motorist drove away from the accident and, when stopped, showed signs of cognitive impairment, Morrell said.

The measure from Hugo, R-Fairfax County, was approved unanimously and advances to the full Transportation Committee.

Source: PilotOnline.com

Elderly driver slams into family of 5 in Highland Park 

By Hanna Chu

HIGHLAND PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Authorities say an 87-year-old driver blew through a stop sign, slamming into a family of five walking in a crosswalk in Highland Park Friday.

The accident involving a Dodge Durango happened in the 900 block of N. Avenue 57 near Yorkdale Elementary School at 8:12 a.m. The victims were treated at the scene and then rushed to a local hospital, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman said.

The driver immediately pulled over after the accident and was being questioned by officers. LAFD officials say he did not appear to be impaired.

According to the Los Angeles Unified School District, the victims include a third-grade boy, two fifth-grade girls, a mother and the children’s 55-year-old grandmother. The mother told officials that two of the children were her own, and the third was a cousin.

The grandmother, who is in her 50s, and a 7-year-old girl are in critical condition. Officials say the mother, in her 30s, and two other children, both age 10, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

It’s unclear if the driver will face any charges. 

Source: ABC Local

As America ages, government seeks to improve safety for older drivers

By Lars Thorvalsen

McClatchy Washington Bureau 

WASHINGTON — Concerned about an oncoming wave of fragile older drivers, the federal government is working to beef up its safety programs aimed at seniors behind the wheel.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers 65 and older are more likely to die or suffer serious injuries, even in low-severity crashes, than younger drivers.

It prompted the agency, which is part of the Department of Transportation, to this week announce a new, five-year comprehensive safety plan. The plan seeks to improve the data it collects on crashes and injuries sustained in them, explore new research on technology that could help drivers avoid collisions, and improve the system for identifying dangerous drivers.

The agency’s administrator, David Strickland, emphasized that the plan was not about labeling an age group of drivers. Older drivers are “some of the safest on our roads,” he said.

At the same time, existing data show that an 85-year-old driver is 1.77 times more likely to get a moderate or more-severe injury in a crash, when compared with drivers between 35 and 54. If the 85-year-old was a front-seat passenger, the older person is five times more likely to get injured.

“Although older people of today are more mobile than past generations, they are still at a disadvantage compared to younger people when it comes to their ability to tolerate injury,” according to the agency’s recent plan. “Aging results in increased fragility and frailty.”

Despite a decline in overall traffic fatalities in recent years, the fatality rate for senior drivers increased 3 percent in 2012, with a total of 5,560 deaths nationwide. In addition, 2012 saw 214,000 older drivers injured, a 16 percent spike from the year before.

Of all Americans, 13.7 percent were over 65 in 2012; they represented 16.6 percent of all fatalities, according to the traffic safety administration.

Between 2003 and 2012, the population over 65 increased 20 percent nationwide. In the same period, the amount of older license holders grew 21 percent, leaving 35 million licensed older drivers.

“Everyone knows that older people don’t see as well at night. But how much do they not see as well?” said Joan Claybrook, former president of the advocacy group Public Citizen and head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration during the Carter administration. “What should be done to change the lighting systems on cars that help older drivers, or in terms of street lighting?”

Claybrook said there’s a good existing foundation of research on older drivers, but she added that better data is needed to understand the relationship between older drivers and accidents.

In the plan, the agency aimed to do that by boosting the quality of crash-causation data and looking closer into the behavior of older drivers.

The agency also for the first time issued safety guidelines for older drivers to the states.

Because state governments issue and control driver’s licenses, there is a wide variation from state to state.

In California and the District of Columbia, for example, holders must renew the license in person when they turn 70. In Florida – which had the most traffic crash fatalities for people over 65 last year – drivers need to pass a vision test at age 80 to renew their licenses.

“One of the big problems with drivers licenses – which initially was thought of as a privilege and now as a right – is that they have been very convenient to use for identification to get on an airplane, for example, or cash a check,” Claybrook said. “And so people go crazy if they can’t get a driver’s license, and then they complain loud and clear. Politicians don’t like to hear that, you know. So they’re willing to loosen the rules rather than get badgered.”

Govt plan aims to keep older drivers safe on road

By Kevin Freking, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Silver could take on a whole new meaning when it comes to car shopping. With more older drivers on the road, the federal government is contemplating a “silver car” rating system that will help identify which cars better protect elderly drivers and passengers in a crash.

Federal highway safety officials will investigate the possibility of such a rating system as part of a five-year plan designed to reduce the number of fatal and injury-causing accidents among older drivers.

The plan, released Thursday, also called for more research into how technology could prevent crashes or reduce their severity. One promising technology warns drivers when their car has moved outside its lane. Another automatically applies the brakes when a car is destined to ram the vehicle in front of it.

Over the past decade, the number of fatality crashes in the U.S. has declined significantly, but the progress had been more modest for older drivers, and came to a halt last year when 5,560 people over the age of 65 were killed as a result of motor vehicle crashes, a 3 percent increase from 2011. Another 214,000 were injured, a rise of 16 percent.

The government has a 5-star safety rating system for vehicles. It’s now asking whether it can do better when it comes to older drivers. They are expected to drive more miles and drive later into life than previous generations.

“Let me be clear. What we’re talking about here is information. Information is power. This is not something that is going to change the price of vehicles,” said David Friedman, deputy administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “The idea is to get consumers as smart as they can be about their safety choices when they walk into the showroom.”

About one in five drivers, or 35 million, currently are 65 or older. The aging of the 77 million baby boomer generation — those born between 1946 and 1964 — will add to the number of older drivers on the road. NHTSA’s plan focused on helping them drive as safely and as long as possible rather than trying to restrict their driving access.

Outside safety analysts said the plan’s emphasis on technology was welcome because it should lead to more confident and safe drivers. Lane departure warnings and smart headlights that adjust based on distance to traffic are already available, but they are often considered a luxury item. Such technology will become more and more prevalent in the coming years, said Jodi Olshevski, director of the Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence.

“The technology is evolving so quickly that understanding more about how it can benefit older drivers is really critical,” Olshevski said.

Friedman said the technology developed in recent years has done much to make cars safer when they crash. Now, the question is whether crashes can be prevented entirely. He said the “holy grail” for drivers, especially older drivers, is a vehicle that can drive itself.

“This is I think where a lot of folks would like to see us go. There’s incredible potential,” Friedman said. “It’s something we’re working day and night on to do the research to make sure it can be done right, it can be done safely and it can be done right out of the gate.”

Olshevski said the plan’s emphasis on keeping drivers on the road is the right one because it will help more of the elderly maintain their independence.

“Being able to get In your car and go where you want to go as long as possible and as safely as possible is important to quality of life as we age,” Olshevski said.

The plan also seeks to increase seat belt use among the elderly because the consequences of being unbelted are worse for them. For comfort reasons, some of those who use seat belts don’t use them appropriately.

In the coming months, NHTSA it will test public service messages aimed at increasing seat belt use and provide educational materials about ways car owners might be able to increase the comfort and fit of their seat belts.

The agency also released new guidelines for the states to improve safety for older drivers. One of the recommendations called for in-person renewal of driver licenses once a person hits a certain age if a state determines there is a problem with older driver crashes.

Another guideline called for all states to establish medical advisory boards that assess the medical fitness of individuals to drive. About two-thirds of the states have such boards.

EDITOR’S NOTE _ Aging America is a joint AP-APME project examining the aging of the baby boomers and the impact that will have on society.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: USNews.com

Bill proposes changing in-person renewal for older drivers in Virginia

Legislation based on a DMV study would drop the in-person renewal age from 80 to 75 and shorten renewal period

McWaters’ proposed legislation is based on a 2013 Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) study to determine if the Commonwealth should amend its licensing renewal procedures for older citizens.