Transportation: Seniors behind the Wheel

Blog Summary:

     The phrase “seniors behind the wheel” addresses seniors 65 or older who are still driving. In the 2010 census reported that 13 percent of the total U.S. resident population was recorded as 65 years and older. That’s about 40.4 million people (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that in 2010, 5,484 people age 65 and older were killed and 189,000 were injured in traffic crashes. These older individuals made up 17 percent of all traffic fatalities and 8 percent of all people injured in traffic crashes during the year (NHTSA, 2010). It is a fact that drivers over the age of 65 are second most likely to die in a car crash. 

     Some states have started programs like California, which requires drivers over the age of 70 to retake driving test if they were involved in two or more crashes in a year, and Pennsylvania, which has a law that requires physicians to report disabilities that may affect driving ability are starting to take action against older drivers (“Older Drivers, Elderly Driving, Seniors at the Wheel”, n.d.).  However, it is hard to find any websites that are a hub for good sources on the issue of senior drivers. 

     In response to this unmet need, I propose to create a blog about policies and developments that are underway and to describe those policies in common terms to illustrate their effects on aging drivers and on other residents in the USA, with an emphasis on the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. These policies will include those implemented on different levels of government: Texas legislation, local policies (for the DFW area), and federal legislation.

     The blog will give a brief overview of how we got to where we are today and how that encouraged the path we are now on. My purpose is not to tell you at what age you should put a "for sale" sign on your car. In fact I wish to never state my opinion as to what age is too old to be driving. My intent for this blog is to be a source that explains and links studies and policies on both sides of the issue so as to inform the general public about options, studies, and policies, new and old that affects the issue that is the aging driver. The blog will also use insurance policies, an interview, and published scientific studies to give insight on the subject of seniors behind the wheel.

Personally, I have no experience or degree that would make me a qualified expert on this subject and at the moment all my transportation needs are being met by the city transportation system. I am an unbiased source with no personal experience of being or knowing someone who has been in an accident involving an elderly person. My knowledge on this subject comes from a course I am currently taking on urban policy and planning at my current university. What this means to you, my audience, is that you get to go through the process with me as I explore aged drivers and the issues they face.

Most people who visit this blog are those that typed the subject in a search engine and went looking for this information. Despite knowing that, I will be writing this blog for those that like me have had no previous contact with the subject. Which is fine because most that have issues with the subject don’t have any quarrels with it till it affects you, whether it be because you’re concerned with your elderly neighbor’s driving, you notice you or your parents have reached a certain age

 This blog plans to discuss questions on whether driving skills decline with age, the effects of  aging  on the abilities of elderly drivers, telltale signs of declining driving abilities, medical issues to consider, how to adapt to changes in declining driving abilities, and other means of transportation. Do not expect to this site to single-handedly lead a movement towards safer roads. This blog will also gloss over what options are out there for alternative means of transportation or alternative living situations that make owning a car obsolete. I strive to provide useful and creditable sources on the subject and explain them in a simple, condensed summary so as to provide a more knowledgeable audience on the subject.

                                                                                                     -MVE

Reference~

"Older Drivers, Elderly Driving, Seniors at the Wheel." Automobiles, motorists, traffic safety and driving guidelines. - Smart Motorist. SmartMotorist.com, n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2013. <http://www.smartmotorist.com/traffic-and-safety-guideline/older-drivers-elderly-driving-seniors-at-the-wheel.html>.

"The Older Population: 2010." 2010 Census Briefs. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. <www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-09.pdf>.

"U.S. Department of Transportation." Traffic Safety and Facts 2010 Data. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. <www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811640.pdf>.