Nashville Auto Accident Attorney Talks About That Time When Seniors Need To Hang Up Their Car Keys
Is it Time To Hang Up Your Car Keys
The good news is that seniors are among the safest drivers on the road, many limit their driving to compensate for age-related health and functional changes. The bad news is that seniors are more likely to be seriously injured or killed when involved in a crash. With advancing age come changes in medical health and function that impact on the ability to drive safely. While most seniors accept the need to “hang up the keys”, a minority may drive too long and pose a safety risk to self and others
Over next 20 years, number of senior drivers will nearly double. These drivers will likely travel more miles than their predecessors. The majority will remain safe drivers, but a growing minority will need attention from state governments, health/ service professionals, family members, etc., to know when driving retirement is necessary.
Whether someone is an MFD (medically fit driver) can be an issue at any age but more likely as we get older. Studies conducted by the AAA Foundation for Highway Safety indicate that certain age-related medical conditions may impair driving ability and thereby elevate crash risk.
Reporting of MFD concerns is a voluntary process in most states, including Tennessee (615-251-5235). The first responsibility for addressing MFD concerns resides with the individual driver. Many states require drivers to notify the DMV of health conditions that may impair driving safety. Most states, Tennessee included, allow health professionals, law enforcement personnel, and others to report potentially unfit drivers for re-testing and possible license revocation. Mediaclly fit drivers must have sufficient vision, attention, memory (and other cognitive skills) and have motor function to manage the operational, tactical and strategic tasks of driving.
To learn more about highway safety issues visit the web site of Phillip Miller & Associates. If you or a loved one is seriously injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident, contact our Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyers for a free consultation.
Phillip Miller is a Tennessee Accident Attorney specializing in
Phillip has an AVVO rating of 10.0 (Superb), has been designated as a “Superlawyer”, and is the President Elect of the Tennessee Association for Justice.
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