SPECIAL REPORT: How old is too old to drive?
How old is too old to drive?
Last December, ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom reported twin sisters were severely injured in Las Cruces after police said an elderly driver smashed into them as they crossed the street.
Investigators said 81-year-old Rudalfo Villegas failed to yield at the crosswalk. Witnesses told police he got out of his pickup, saw the injured teens, then drove away. He was arrested four days later and is due in court again Friday.
The wreck made us question if age played a role in the crash.
Come 2020, 54 million Americans will be over the age of 65. That’s according to AAA Texas/New Mexico spokesman Doug Shupe.
“Seniors are more likely to wear their seat belt and less likely to be distracted when they’re behind the wheel,” Shupe said.
Julie Carrasco, 68, remembers when she had to take the keys and car away from her 85-year-old father years ago.
“It’s devastating, because you’re so independent and you’re so used to having wheels,” Carrasco said.
She offers advice for those who will eventually have to have the talk with a loved one about turning in the keys.
“I’m hoping they’re kind enough to put it in a way that says you’re a danger to somebody else and to yourself,” Carrasco said.
The worst-case scenario? The 2003 farmer’s market tragedy in Santa Monica, California. Ten people were killed when an 86-year old man sped through a pedestrian area after confusing the gas pedal with the brake.
Video of a car wash crash in Sacramento, California, from January shows another elderly driver who drove right through but walked away without any injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends asking yourself these questions if you have any concerns about senior drivers:
Do they confuse the gas and the brake pedal?
Do they ignore stop signs or traffic signals?
Do they weave between lanes?
Do other drivers honk at them or pass them?
Do they seem lost or disoriented?
If the answer is yes to any of those questions, it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t be on the road. It may mean more training is necessary.
“Notice how the senior reacts when they’re driving on the road,” Shupe said. “Find a good time and place to have that conversation if you feel their driving could be a hazard.”
At 71 and as someone still working, Mary Yanez said she can’t imagine giving up her driving privileges but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t think about doing so.
“I will never give my keys up to anybody at any time,” Yanez said. “But what if I become a hazard to myself or someone else?”
In Texas, people 79 and older have to renew their driver’s license in person every six years and pass a vision test. The check increases to every other year when the driver turns 85.
The rules are tighter in New Mexico, where drivers 75 years old and over have to renew their license every year, and pass a vision test, and they may be given a road/written test.
There are many resources out there to help. Here are just a few links:
http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/Older_Adult_Drivers/adult-drivers_factsheet.html
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/driverlicense/elderlydrivers.htm
