The Importance Of Driving

For many years, senior citizens and their ability to drive safely has been brought into question. Each state, in the United States of America, has a different view on the requirements and the rules that older people must undergo in order to be allowed to drive. Baby boomers are causing a rapid increase in the senior citizen population, ultimately increasing the rate of older people on the roads. While some people say driving is a privilege and can be taken away, others say it is a right and cannot be taken away based on discrimination. Whether driving is a privilege or a right, it does not mean one has the right to hurt someone, whether it ends fatally or non-fatally, because of the inability to drive safely. No one wants to experience

It has been reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that “An average of 586 older adults are injured every day in crashes”(“Older Adult Drivers”). If an older person has a disability or disease that affects one or more of the five senses, their ability to be observant is compromised. If the sense of hearing is unable to function properly, the warning sounds of another driver honking, sirens from ambulances and police cars become virtually ignored. Sight is one of the most important senses, and if someone is close to being legally blind, the best advice would be to stay away from operating a motor vehicle especially if weather factors, such as heavy rain or fog, are present on the days the senior citizen wishes to drive. More times than none, older people tend to drive slower than the average driver and have the mindset that they are the only ones on the road. Typically, the majority of older people drive under the speed limit or do not use

Barbosa 4 blinkers when making turns. While they may not get pulled over for excessive speeding, driving under the speed limit is just as dangerous as speeding. It is important that any driver, regardless of age, be aware of their surroundings because accidents can be a result of failing to abide by road rules and regulations. People on the opposing side of the argument would say that not all elderly people are bad