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You might think that elderly and teenage drivers pose the same dangers on the road — not making sound judgments, getting easily distracted, or not remembering the rules — but a new study says that elderly drivers are less likely to cause fatal car accidents than most of us think.
The Wall Street Journal reports that findings from a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) show that even as the population of seniors grow, they are actually causing fewer wrongful deaths and fatal car accidents on the road.
The IIHS says drivers in the prime of their lives can attribute their shining driving record to themselves. A number of elderly motorists are hanging up their keys to avoid personal injuries on the road when they recognize they are not physically or mentally fit to operate a car.
Aside from self-policing, a number of states are now requiring older drivers to come to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to renew their licenses rather than doing it by mail. This way senior citizens looking to keep their driver’s license must prove they are capable of reacting safely behind the wheel.
From 1997 to 2009, the rate of fatal car accidents involving drivers over the age of 70 continually decreased, despite the fact that seniors have been managing to keep their licenses longer than they ever have been in the past. The IIHS study goes on to show more elderly drivers are both surviving car accidents and not being responsible for causing them.
The United States had an increase in the number of people age 70 and older from 1997 to 2008 — up from 24.4 million to 28 million. In conjunction with this growth, licensed drivers in this age group increased from 73% to 78%, but fatal car accidents per licensed driver dipped about 37%, and was nearly cut in half for motorists 80+ years old.
At any age, though, remember to get yourself the best auto insurance policy that you and your family can afford. It’s mandatory in most states, so don’t leave home without it.
If you find yourself in need legal assistance after being in a collision on the road — whether it be filing for pain and suffering or finding a way to recover compensation for other damages — there is one San Diego car accident lawyer here for you and your loved ones.
Contact our bilingual offices to find out if you can recover a settlement. Call 1-858-551-2090 anytime — day or night — for a FREE Consultation with an experienced San Diego car accident lawyer or click here to submit your case for a FREE Online Review.
SENIOR PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY & FIRM FOUNDER
Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who graduated from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in 1987. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes how insurance companies work and how they decide how much to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael’s inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents. Learn more about Michael Pines