Right now, older people are more susceptible to the current pandemic than younger people are. For this reason, you may pose a risk to the health of the older people in your life, but they may pose a risk to you when they get behind the wheel.
Most people focus on teenagers when they discuss a high-risk group of drivers, but they tend to forget that older people face certain issues due to their age that make at least some of them dangerous drivers.
What does age have to do with it?
As individuals age, they may suffer from the following issues, which would affect their ability to drive safely:
- Declining situational awareness
- Diminishing motor controls and vision
- Declining mental reactions
- Increasing physical limitations
- Taking prescription medication that could cause impairment
Driving through inclement weather, work zones or heavy traffic could become more of a challenge for older people. Giving up the independence driving provides may cause an older person in your life to keep these issues to themselves, and he or she may be successful until an accident occurs. Before that happens, it may be a good idea to have a discussion with the older person in your life to see whether it is time to curtail driving. Doctors could be helpful in making this choice.
You can’t control other people’s aging loved ones
While you may be able to help your aging loved one stay safe, not everyone takes the same proactive measures with the older people in their lives. In some cases, the loved one may not share that he or she has limitations that could prevent safe driving. In other cases, family members either do not notice a decline or do not consider it serious enough to address. This puts the loved one and everyone else on the road with him or her in danger.
If you end up in an accident with an older person whose driving abilities are questionable at this point, you could suffer serious injuries. Your recovery could take some time and prove costly. Medical expenses, lost income and other damages would certainly affect your financial stability. Fortunately, Florida law allows you to pursue compensation from the party or parties deemed responsible for the accident and your injuries. If you succeed, you could receive the monetary restitution you need to get your finances back on track.
