For many seniors, having a driver’s license makes independent living possible, but some elderly motorists may be unfit to get behind the wheel.
By 2030, the baby boom generation could be responsible for up to 25 percent of all fatal car accidents, according to AAA. Today, there are plenty of seniors who exercise an appropriate amount of caution while driving, but other elderly men and women believe they are capable of responsible motoring even though they aren’t.
"I think it’s important for the adult children to ride with their parents as passengers at some point," Patrick Baker, a geriatric specialist in Cleveland, told NBC.
"Adult children almost always take their parents to the doctor or whereever, so they don’t really know how mom or dad drives."
Factors such as arthritis and eye conditions can slow reaction times, says the news source. Such health issues can present a dangerous problem for both seniors and other drivers, so it might be a good idea for elderly individuals to assess their ability to safely operate a car.
In 2008, there were more than 34,000 fatal car crashes in the U.S., according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
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