ELDERLY CITIZENS

Elderly Citizens

Elderly Citizens

Elderly Citizens in the UK

"In 1997, older people made up 9 percent of the resident population but accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities and 17 percent of all pedestrian fatalities." NHTSA summarized 1997 highway statistics for older drivers in "Traffic Safety Facts 1997: Older Population" (DOT HS 808 769). The publication reported that:

In 1997, more than 24 million people in the United States were over 70 years of age.

Representing 9 percent of the population in 1997, the 70-and-older age group grew 2.1 times faster from 1987 to 1997 than the total population.

In 1986 older drivers were 7 percent of licensed drivers; in 1996 they were 19 percent of licensed drivers.

Of traffic fatalities involving older drivers, 82 percent happened in the daytime, 71 percent occurred on weekdays, and 75 percent involved a second vehicle.

When a crash involved an older driver and a younger driver, the older driver was 3 times as likely as the younger driver to be the one struck. Moreover, 28 percent of crash-involved older drivers were turning left when they were struck-- 7 times more often than younger drivers were struck while making left turns. Older drivers involved in fatal crashes and fatally injured older pedestrians claimed the lowest proportion of intoxication--defined as a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 grams per deciliter or higher.

While only 55 percent of adult vehicle occupants (ages 18 to 69) involved in fatal crashes were using restraints at the time of the crash, 70 percent of fatal- crash-involved older occupants were using restraints. On the basis of estimated annual travel, the fatality rate for drivers 85 and over is nine times as high as the rate for drivers 25 through 69 years old.For those who are jumping on the bandwagon to impose age restrictions on elderly drivers, stop for a moment and ask yourself a question.

What happens after the restrictions are in place?If voters are going to rally their lawmakers to prevent people from driving once they reach say age 65, regardless of their ability, then lawmakers ought to find a way to provide an alternative to those people who lose their license.

Proponents of such an idea need to ask themselves another question. Are you willing to pay for better public transportation?

After all, if a competent driver loses his or her driver's license simply because of their age, in fairness, a viable alternative to getting around town ought to be available. And the Valley's transit system isn't there yet.

The 86-year-old man killed 10 people and injured more than 50 others July 16 when he drove his car into a crowd of people shopping on the closed street. He told police he hit the gas pedal thinking it was the brake. News reports say Weller was neither drinking nor under the influence of medication. He apparently misjudged the entire traffic situation.

Elderly Citizens in UK

The definition of elderly abuse is the mistreatment of the elderly that is inflicted by someone else as opposed to ...