Senior Drivers

Has there ever been a time when you've been hit by a driver who was a senior citizen? Speaking from my own experience, I was actually involved in two accidents that were caused by a reckless senior citizen. Just recently, on my way to school, a senior driver merged into my lane forcing me to merge to the next open lane., and a senior driver around was merging into my lane one time and I was forced to merge to the next lane, Luckily there was no car beside, otherwise I would have been hit. Everyone ages differently, so some people are perfectly capable of continuing to drive in their seventies, eighties, and even beyond. Many elders, however, are at higher risk for road accidents. Senior citizens at the age of 70 and up should still be able to drive as long as they are tested for a full physical and mental examination that will determine whether they are qualified to drive.

Senior citizens who do not pass the sobriety test when sober and fasted from medications should not be allowed to drive. The Arizona Driving Manual suggests that when backing a car, the driver should turn and look over right shoulder. Because senior citizens have decreased mobility, proving their competency in this area will ensure that they are physically able to operate a vehicle safety. If someone unable is performing these aforementioned functions, this person should not have a driver’s license. According to Arizona Motor Vehicle, all the senior citizens have to retake the permit test and vision test to be able to get the license. Driving is a skill that relies heavily on the sense of sight, if an individual’s eyesight’s has diminished. Also, senior driver’s bad eye sight leads to greater risk of accident. Unquestionable, an annual eye exam should definitely be on part of the driver on the driver license exam and a requirement for senior citizens to retain their driver’s licenses.

Senior drivers tend to drive slower or faster than the road limit. This problem not only causes them to the car accident, but also they get pull over by the police. My brother’s friend, Mr. Baylon, he is a student at ASU major in psychology stated “I personally feel that senior drivers become more aware of their self-awareness and safety that they feel the need to drive slow because they think it's a lot safer when in fact they are putting themselves and other lives at risk.” Mental Alertness is a must be able to operate a car safety. Almost any driver could give testimony to being in a situation that could have been collision, only be avoided by the quick speed which they were able to recognize and avoid danger. If a senior citizen’s reaction time is drastically slowed, what might have been a near miss could result in a fatal. According to Arizona DMV “Senior drivers in Arizona were more apt to have angle and left-turn collision and less apt to have