Nashville Personal injury Lawyer Asks “At What Age Is A Person Too Old To Drive Safely?”
An East Tennessee media source reported on a bizarre car crash between a car, a hornet’s nest and a house, luckily no one was seriously injured. It appears that an 84-year-old Knoxville woman lost control of her car and on the way to hitting a house, ran over a tree stump and a nest of very angry yellow jackets before slamming into the basement of a home.
Neither the woman nor the people in the house were seriously injured. Word on what caused the elderly driver to lose control was unavailable at the time of this blog.
As an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer I have to raise the question, “At what age is a person too old to drive safely?”
It’s a sensitive issue, because like everyone else, older adults depend on driving to maintain their independence and keep doing all the things they need and want to do. Most seniors are safe drivers. Their safety belt usage is high, and they have low rates of violations for speeding, reckless driving, and alcohol-related incidents.
However, as they age, their risk of being involved in an accident increases with each year of age. There are reasons why driving presents particular challenges to older people, including:
• Changes in vision, cognition, and physical function
• Medical conditions
• The use of medications.
Many seniors voluntarily limit their driving under certain circumstances, particularly when they realize their vision has changed and they don’t see as well at night or in bad weather. Others, however, may be reluctant to stop driving because the thought of losing their independence is too threatening, and they may fear becoming isolated, lonely, and dependent on family or friends.
In addition, any changes in vision or physical function may have happened slowly over time so they don’t realize they’re no longer as safe behind the wheel. The task of bringing up this delicate issue may then fall to a family member, friend, or caregiver.
It’s estimated that by 2020, 54 million Americans will be over age 65, and many of them will still be driving. The question of whether they should limit their driving or stop altogether is one that more and more seniors and their families will face. Conversations about this important safety issue are not easy. Your parent or relative may resent discussing the topic or resist admitting to any problems with driving. The question needs to be handled with tact and diplomacy.
To find out more about this and other Tennessee highway safety issues contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and learn what you need to help in dealing with the issue.








