Safer Driving for Senior Citizen

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Safer Driving for Senior Citizen Amy Allen Bryant and Stratton PHIL250: Practices in Analytical Thinking J.R. Kuntz October 24, 2012 Senior citizen drivers are putting themselves and others in danger when driving. Studies show that drivers at the age of 80 and older are involved in more fatal car crashes, as much as 5.5 times, as middle aged drivers (Risky Drivers, 2012). This is not because they are dangerous and reckless drivers. In fact, senior citizen drivers are more likely to follow the rules of the road, but it is due to declines in their motor skills, vision, perceptual and cognitive abilities that cause accidents to occur (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], 2005). Because of their declining health, I feel that educational services need to be offered, more friendly vehicles for senior citizens need to be made, and easier to read traffic signs should be made and more efficiently placed. Services and information should be readily accessible to seniors regarding how their declining health and physical changes could affect their driving abilities. Helping make them aware of these changes and what affect it has on their diving abilities can help them make wiser decisions when it comes to driving. Such as, to drive on less congested roads, avoid freeway driving if possible, avoid rush hour, avoid driving at night, ask relatives to drive, and if available use public transportation. Car companies can also help senior citizen drivers by implementing more safety features and better controls for senior citizen drivers. This would include larger buttons, larger print, rear backup cameras, convex mirrors, cross traffic alerts, adjustable pedals and blind-spot-detections systems. Some car companies are already providing these features but I feel that more companies should implement them as well. Having these as standard features not only benefit

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