State Governments Consider Toughening Laws on Elderly Drivers Due to Deadly Trend

By Evan Mix

Published on May 03, 2007

As America's elderly population grows, statistics show a growing trend of fatal accidents involving elderly drivers. According to a recent study performed at Carnegie Mellon University, drivers over the age of 85 are four times as likely to be involved in a fatal accident as teenage drivers.

States across the nation are debating legislation that would impose tougher standards on elderly drivers. Proposals and currently active legislation include requiring the elderly to appear in person for license renewals, requiring driving tests, and a variety of vision, problem-solving, and reflex testing mechanisms. Currently, most states have few, if any, restrictions in place, and enforcement is generally inconsistent.

The difficulty, for most states, is in drafting legislation that keeps dangerous drivers off the roads without discriminating against those who are capable. According to critics of this legislation, many competent drivers would be taken off the roads in order to prevent comparatively few accidents.

For many senior citizens, driving is a necessary part of maintaining independence in the face of declining health. These individuals are understandably reluctant to relinquish their mobility and autonomy.

Currently, no state boasts an effective preemptive detection system. The challenge lies in drafting legislating that will cut fatalities without impinging unfairly on individual rights.

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