By Thomas Hoffman
Remember the Everybody Loves Raymond episode when it becomes clear Raymond’s father cannot drive, although he manages to pass the test to maintain his license? This episode is playing out in real life. Drivers across America must be wary of a new, old safety hazard on the road. As if drunk drivers, texting while driving or illegal immigrant drivers is not enough, there is yet another danger; senior citizen drivers. The effects that accompany advanced age like slow reaction time can be equally as dangerous as any of the effects of alcohol or texting while driving.
One reason why no politician has ever addressed this problem is because the majority of voters are…you guessed it…senior citizens. The very people who pose this safety hazard account for a very large percentage of the voting population. A report from AARP notes that in the 2016 presidential election, 71 percent of Americans over 65 voted. According to the New York City Campaign Finance Board, older people are more likely to vote than younger people. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that older drivers 65 and up accounted for about 12.5 percent of the drivers involved in fatal crashes in the U.S.
As an interesting example of false ideology, many younger voters who are in danger of these “golden drivers” are usually among the population who opt not to participate in elections. They may not be aware of this problem as they may not watch the news or follow local politicians.
NPR.org reports that many younger people refrain from voting for various reasons including they are apathetic to current events, they are too busy or claim they are not informed enough to vote.
The real danger in having older people behind the wheel is that drivers who are behind in reactions are getting behind the wheel. Driving requires a certain eye to hand coordination, which is something age is known to take a toll on. To drive without proper eye to hand coordination is among the most dangerous ways to drive, it can be as dangerous as drunk driving, drugged driving or texting driving.
Currently many states, including New York only mandate an eye exam, which is not nearly enough to detect any flaws in the mental and physical coordination necessary to ensure competent driving. Many friends and family members of 17 year old Madeleine Mary Sershen, who was killed by an 88 year old driver who ran a red light, are calling for stricter, frequent testing for older drivers. New York City Councilmember Paul Vallone of Queens shined a light on this hazard recently. Vallone wisely pointed out that this problem is often ignored because these senior citizen drivers consist of a large part of the voting population. The “golden danger” poses a hazard to all drivers and pedestrians regardless of age. However, solving this problem may require more voters of all ages.
Graphic: Pixabay