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Older drivers may be at a higher risk for an accident

On Behalf of | Jul 26, 2019 | Personal Injury

A study published on TheSeniorList.com found that Georgia is ranked fifth in the country when it comes to accidents caused by older drivers. It also found that drivers age 65 and older caused 14% of fatal accidents nationwide in 2017. The number of fatal accidents involving senior drivers is going up despite the fact that traffic fatality rates are declining. However, age alone cannot explain why this is happening.

Nationally, there are 42 million people age 65 and older who have a valid drivers license. This represents a 60% increase since 1999, and it means that older drivers make up roughly 20% of the driving population. It is expected that the number of Americans in this age group will increase over the coming years and decades. The study also found that states with high numbers of fatal crashes involving senior drivers also have large populations. The list of 10 states with the most fatal crashes involving senior drivers includes California and Texas.

There are signs that a person may be too old to drive. For instance, those who don’t see or hear as well as they used to shouldn’t operate a motor vehicle. It is important for family members to intervene if they don’t think an older relative can drive as individuals themselves can’t always tell that their skills are declining.

A person who is hurt in a car accident may want to file a personal injury lawsuit. Even if a case is settled outside of court, filing a case may prevent a statute of limitation from expiring. An attorney may also file a personal injury lawsuit on a victim’s behalf. Accident victims may be entitled to compensation for current and future medical bills and lost wages. Lost future earnings and other damages might also be available.