April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month and while anyone can have issues with distracted driving, seniors need to pay special attention to their driving skills. Seniors can keep driving as they age, but those who want to keep driving should be aware of some of the facts about older drivers. If your senior parent is still driving after 60, home care assistance can help keep them safe, informed, and can assist with transportation when needed. Here are some tips they should know.
Driving During The Day Doesn’t Assure Safety
70% of all fatal accidents occur during the day. So, seniors who agree to stop driving at night or during the early morning hours may not be as safe as they think. Even though they assume that they will be less likely to get into an accident driving only during bright daylight hours that’s not necessarily the case. Seniors need to always remain vigilant, alert, and free from distraction when they are driving no matter what time of the day it is.
Seniors Have More Fatal Accidents
Seniors are more likely than other age group to have fatal auto accidents. One of the reasons for that is that seniors are usually suffering from at least one medical condition before getting into an accident. The accident could make existing medical conditions worse or cause seniors to suffer from a stroke or a heart attack in addition to any injuries caused by the accident. And, because seniors have slower reaction times due to their age, they may not be able to react quickly enough to avoid a head on collision or other type of accident that is usually fatal.
Seniors Are More Likely To Have Accidents
It’s not just fatal accidents that seniors are more prone to than other age groups. According to studies 67% of senior drivers will get into an accident before they stop driving. From minor fender benders to more serious crashes there’s a high likelihood that your senior loved one is going to get into an accident at some point if they keep driving. But, seniors can take steps to lower their risk of getting into an accident like taking a safe driver course specifically for seniors and getting a car that has new safety features to help them avoid accidents.
Technology Can Help
Modern cars have a suite of safety features that can help seniors avoid accidents. Parking assist, automatic breaking, and rear view cameras are just a few of the safety features that can keep seniors out of accidents. If your senior parent has an older car that they never upgraded now might be a good time to look at getting a new car. Newer cars that have better safety features can help seniors stay safe when they’re driving. Just make sure that you turn off the Bluetooth or other features that might be distracting, because seniors need to minimize distractions while they’re driving.
If your senior parent is not ready to give up driving, home care assistance can help. With home care assistance, seniors won’t have to drive alone, a care provider can ride with them or take over driving when necessary.
