A Study in Extending Drivers Ed

A Study in Extending Drivers Ed

Every child has said that they wish they were older at some point, growing up; however, once you’re older, you want the exact opposite. Some may feel this way because of the things they wish they could have done differently. According to gerontologist Karl Pillemer, people over the age of 65 are being haunted by their regrets of not traveling more, not being honest, not giving enough attention to our new bodily and cognitive limitations, or, most importantly, not taking care of them of our bodies (Pillemer, 2012). By educating ourselves with the physical and cognitive changes and the psychological disorders associated with age, we veer our direction, acting more carefully, and taking fewer risks. This point is especially true in senior citizens choosing to operate motor vehicles well into their later years.

In 2002 my Grandparents were killed in a horrific car accident. My Grandfather, who was driving at the time, had dementia, which was rapidly accelerating. All it took was one second of error, and I had lost both my grandparents. To me, the importance of drivers ed focuses not only on teen drivers but also on the elderly driver’s re-education. The knowledge of the risks of driving with dementia is essential in reducing the number of deaths resulting from fatal car accidents. Had my Grandfather known and been aware that because of his dementia, that he could “zone-out” while driving, maybe he would have opted to let my grandmother drive instead, or take a bus. Had they done this, he would have turned one hundred this year.

Drivers ed must be extended to senior citizens. This initiative can reduce the number of deaths related to driving. According to the CDC, in 2014, nearly 5,709 senior drivers were killed, and 221,000 were injured in traffic accidents. A significant factor in this, as cited by The American Automobile Association is that seniors have “Weaker muscles, reduced flexibility and limited range of motion [which] restricts senior drivers’ ability to grip and turn the steering wheel, press the accelerator or brake, or reach to open doors and windows.” If seniors better understand these risks through driving re-education and are educated on the alternatives to get around town, the number of fatalities from driving accidents among seniors can be drastically minimized.

I have never been in a car accident; however, once I become a senior citizen with a history of dementia in my family, I will be at considerable risk of losing my safe ability to drive. The steps I can take to be a better and safer driver and help others become safer on the road is to trust in future medical and drivers ed professionals whether or not I am fit to operate a motor vehicle. My goal is to share the story of my grandparent’s tragic accident while I do my regular volunteering at senior living communities; hopefully, I can convince other older people to opt-out of driving with cognitive diseases.