|
|
Older People Are the Worst Drivers
By Anahad O'Connor, The New York Times
September 20, 2005
THE FACTS: It has long been known that the two types of drivers who cause the most accidents on America's roadways are also the two with the least in common, slow older people and lead-footed teenagers. But is one group worse than the other?
The answer is debatable. Mile for mile, studies show, drivers younger than 20 are four times as likely to crash as the elderly.
Yet accidents caused by drivers older than 75 are more often deadly, for those behind the wheel and for their elderly passengers. One study, published in 2003 by researchers at Johns Hopkins, found that this was probably a result of older drivers' susceptibility to injury.
The largest differences, of course, have to do with risk taking. Younger drivers are more likely to speed, drive while intoxicated, run red lights and get behind the wheel in bad weather. Studies suggest that this is generally because teenagers tend to underestimate the seriousness of hazards.
Crashes caused by the elderly are usually a result of disorientation and slow reactions.
Most of their accidents occur at intersections and involve merging or yielding. Confusing the accelerator and brake pedals is also a common cause. Highly publicized cases and the exploding aged population have led to tougher restrictions on elderly drivers.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Younger drivers crash more often, but accidents involving the elderly are more likely to be fatal.
|
|
