A Problem of Independence Versus Safety: Seniors and Driving

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            The ability to drive is for independence what fire was for cavemen; an irreplaceable breakthrough. Not only does it grant a person physical mobility which is needed to do basic day to day activities such as shop or go to the bank, driving can offer someone impactful opportunities, such as a better chance of employment. After all, what good would getting that awesome interview be if you couldn’t actually get to the interview? But the blanket importance of driving as a skill begins to pose a rather distressing problem when you consider a life without it; what would happen if suddenly all this independence was gone? This is a common dilemma for seniors across the country, who for a multitude of reasons are no longer able or willing to operate a motor vehicle.
            According to an AARP spokeswoman the baby boomers present one of the most significant increases of elderly drivers ever. In fact, the numbers projected show over 78 million boomers reaching 65+ status by 2030. The first and most obvious question that presents itself becomes is there even a real need to take elderly drivers off of the road? The answer is complex to say the least, because on the surface the data seems to suggest a scary picture: adults over the age of 65 have the highest crash death rate per mile of any demographic except teenagers. With how many elderly drivers the data suggest would be taking the road this seems exceptionally worrisome. However, this is a mostly incomplete picture, and while it’s true that seniors tend to die more in collisions than other demographics, this is usually attributed to a weakened condition rather than any reckless driving habits.
While it is comforting to know that there is not an observable increase in danger for everybody on the road, there is still the troubling problem of these preventable deaths. How does someone deal with the reality they can’t drive anymore? What are the choices? If a senior feels their driving ability is compromised or just wants to eliminate the uncertainty of a “maybe” altogether, it is heavily advised that they seek alternative transportation if at all possible. While this can take many forms the most widely available and cheapest option tends to be public transit. While not as independent as driving itself can be at times, public transport is an incredibly reliable and effective means of getting around, usually allowing for at the very least a comparable amount of autonomy with significantly lower risk of a life-threatening accident. And hey, who couldn’t get used to being driven around every once in a while?
Work Cited:
https://www.aarp.org/home-garden/livable-communities/info-12-2008/ginzler_car_technology.html
https://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Should-we-be-scared-of-senior-drivers-367848.php

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