Elderly Drivers Research Paper

Driving is a complicated and intense task, involving almost all of a person’s senses. Not only must a motorist pay attention to themselves and how they are driving, but everything that is on the road. Signs, pedestrians, animals, signals, other vehicles, and internal distractions, such as music, phones, passengers, and objects, impact a person’s ability to drive. As age increases, a person is affected both mentally and physically. It makes driving more dangerous for not only themselves, but for everyone on the road with them as well. Elderly drivers should be retested for driving at the age 70 because of their age-related impairments and driving disabilities.

Older adult drivers face many age-related impairments, such as health and sense issues. A large amount of elder face many health conditions and impairments of vision, attention and reaction time, and coordination. The

Many medications cause dizziness and drowsiness, adding to the long list of trouble that elderly drivers have. One of the many factors that put elderly drives in jeopardy of collision is impaired vision: as their eyesight worsens, they become more susceptible to crashes and vehicle-related injuries. Sensitivity to headlight glares, street lights, and the sun increases, while their field of vision narrows and it becomes harder to see clearly. There are multiple eye diseases that impact driving, including glaucoma and cataracts, which make reading signs and seeing colors much harder. In addition to physical changes, cognitive function is a large reason why elderly drivers face the question of retesting. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, “Age related declines in vision and cognitive