Georgia Ranks Fifth For Senior Car Accidents
Senior car accidents are on the rise – nearly 1 in 5 all drivers on the road are above the age of 65. In the past decade, the population in this age bracket has increased by more than 30%. The high car accident rate among seniors brings forth a big question – are the elderly bad drivers? If they are, which are the states in which the senior car accident rate is the highest?
Recent studies show that Georgia ranks 5th when it comes to car accidents involving drivers above the age of 65. Some of the key findings listed in this study are:
· Of the total accidents in the year 2017, older drivers accounted for 14% of them.
· The states with the highest senior car accident rate were – Florida, Texas, California, Georgia, and North Carolina in the top five. These were followed by Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, and New York.
· The research also listed out states with the least number of seniors involved in fatal accidents. Few of these states were – New Hampshire, South Dakota, Delaware, Hawaii, and North Dakota.
What Do Other Statistics Say?
The population of licensed senior drivers in America totals up to 42 million – which is 60% higher than what it was in 1999. The total number of older drivers accounts for 14% of all drivers, despite making up to 1(% of the total licensed drivers. This also means that more older people have taken to driving compared to past years, which has led to the high fatality rate in accidents in seniors.
While this number is alarming, the fact that the elderly are outpacing overall totals in other categories is definitely a cause of concern. Overall fatality rates in other age groups have drastically come down in all categories – cyclists, bikers, and passenger vehicles. But there is a huge increase in the numbers for this particular (above 65 age group).
Possible Reasons For The High Accident Rate In Seniors
Apart from the increase in the number of senior drivers, there are other causes too, which have led to an increase in the number of senior car accidents and fatalities. One common trait in all the states with a high accident rate is that they are heavily populated. Excess traffic is one of the main reasons for the serious accident and fatality rates.
Only two states (Georgia and Tennessee) with high populations feature in the top ten states with the highest senior accidents. So are these accidents only because of the high population rates? Or because of the negligent driving of seniors? Well, no. Another cause of concern here is rash and reckless driving by youngsters too.
8% of youth in the age group of 15-20 are involved in fatal accidents, which is half as much as the seniors. This trend is not the same in all the states though – in many states the percentage of youths involved in accidents leading to fatalities is very high. Almost 51% of drivers in fatal accidents belong to the age group of 15-20.
As far as the elderly are concerned, some of the common signs that indicate they need to stop driving are:
· Partially Impaired hearing and vision
· Difficulty in keeping up with conversations
· Slower reflexes and issues with motor control
Most states have laws that require frequent renewal of older person licenses. But it is important for us to understand three indications that we need to give up driving ourselves. As younger persons, we can bring these signs to the notice of our near and dear seniors too.
Summing Up
In case of accidents, filing for a claim can be a tedious process – but not if you have an attorney to help you out. For more assistance, you can seek help from an Albany, GA Car Accident Lawyer.
