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Driving a car is one of the most convenient methods of transportation. When a person receives their first driver’s license, it allows them to go from point A to point B quickly on their own schedule.
When automobile drivers get older, their ability to drive a car diminishes over time. Senses are not what they used to be. Instincts are slower. Driver reaction times are slower. These changes can lead to car accidents because drivers should be completely aware of what is around them and ready to adapt to situations that arise while driving.
Our firm’s car accident attorneys are aware that over five million of drivers are over the age of 55. Over two million of those drivers are over the age of 75. Seniors should be entitled to the same privileges as non-seniors. They should continue to be allowed to get where they need to go with ease.
However, senior citizens should be aware of certain requirements before they get behind the wheel of a car and possibly cause a car accident that leads to wrongful death.
There are no specific requirements for auto driving seniors, but when you reach the age of 70, you are no longer allowed to renew your driver’s license by mail. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) wants to make sure that you still have the same basic skills when you have used while you have been driving.
For instance, the DMV can deny your renewal if the corrected vision in your best eye is 20/200. The DMV can also refuse a renewal if you are an alcoholic or addicted to certain drugs. If a doctor has diagnosed you with Alzheimer’s disease or certain other conditions linked to lapses in consciousness, renewal can be denied for that reason as well.
Seniors should be allowed to travel on streets and highways in the same ways that non-seniors are allowed, but extra precautions need to be made to keep senior drivers safe and prevent car accidents with other drivers that can lead to personal injury or wrongful death.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles website contains a section devoted to senior drivers so they know everything they need to keep them on the roads and enjoying the freedom they can still enjoy without getting into a car accident.
As car accident lawyers, we believe that anyone with a car driver’s license should be allowed to drive on streets and roadways if they can physically do everything required to practice safe driving techniques. Car accidents can happen as a result of a 16-year-old new driver or an 80-year-old seasoned driver. Both types of drivers should always be careful when driving and make sure to have the best car insurance policy available in case of an accident.
Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney and find out how we can help you. We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case. No fee if no recovery.
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