The American Automobile Association (AAA) is cautioning all drivers to prepare for a sharp increase in the number of elderly drivers on the roads over the course of the next couple of decades.
As baby boomers enter their mid-60s, the percentage of elderly drivers is projected to hit an all-time high. The number of drivers over the age of 65 will increase by about 75 percent over the course of the next two decades. Ten years from now, one out of four drivers on the road will be 65 or older.
Ohio car accident experts noted that AAA’s efforts to prepare the public for this change were part of Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, which was observed December 5 – 9. The national motor safety organization is encouraging people of all ages to prepare for the “Silver Tsunami,” as it is being called, of older drivers on the roads.
Additionally, AAA wants the friends and families of older drivers to prepare themselves for handling elderly loved ones as their driving abilities deteriorate. This can be a difficult time for the driver — the loss of independence and self-reliance can be difficult for some people to come to terms with. Communication among everyone involved is important to deciding when a driver should stop operating a motor vehicle, and communication can also elderly drivers come to terms with their situation.
AAA offers computer-operated assessments of driving skills for senior citizens, and other tips and strategies for handling elderly drivers as they continue to operate motor vehicles can be found on the organization’s website.
Source: Market Watch, “AAA urges families to prepare for the “silver tsunami” of aging drivers” Dec. 5, 2011