“There are certain issues that can impair ability to drive, which could be vision impairments, hearing impairments, cognitive impairments, as well as physical,” Pahor said. Marco Pahor, director of the University of Florida’s Institute on Aging, said. The Florida Department of Motor Vehicles has restrictions for drivers older than 80, said Kirsten Olsen-Doolan, the deputy communications director. Some restrictions include requiring mandatory visions tests to renew a license as well as only giving six-year licenses.īut aging drivers should be tested on more than just vision, Dr. It is unknown whether age was a factor in the Los Angeles accident, but age can contribute to drivers’ inability to control a vehicle, leading to injury and death.Īccording to a study done by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, on a per mile basis, the death rate of drivers 85 and older is nearly triple that of drivers age 16 to 17, and it is nearly 20 times that of drivers age 50 to 59.
About three months ago, a 100-year-old man backed his car into 11 people, including nine school children, in Los Angeles.
