Do elderly drivers need better air bags, and bigger road signs?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has recently evaluated a report that concluded that elderly need. The motorists of America are aging, and that means that stronger and more effective safety features are needed.

Sadly, the risk of traffic accidents increases as the number of elderly drivers on the road increases. According to IIHS, the risk of traffic increases and so do accidents that involve fatalities. Traffic signals and changes to road designs will help prevent these unfortunate events. 

As a matter of fact, many insurers recommend for elderly drivers to stay away from the road in general. With their eyesight getting worse with age and other illnesses that might develop throughout time, it is important to make sure that signs are visible and safety features are even more effective. In fact, IIHS claims that licensing laws don’t always work.

The number of fatalities of drivers age 70 and older climbed, according to estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In fact, elderly drivers over the age of 70, nearly equal to the accident risk of teens. 

Recent evaluations show that the most dangerous drivers are between the ages of 16 to 19. After the person is older than 19, the fatality risk will drop but rise once again once the person becomes 70 years old. Teenagers have a high fatality risk because of inexperience, while elderly drivers have a high mortality rate because of health-related problems.

However, fatalities that are caused by elderly drivers usually don’t end up hurting other drivers – instead, they hurt themselves. Keep in mind that if you want to purchase auto insurance if you are 70 or older, your premiums will be very high.

You think that you are going to get a senior discount? Probably not. A suggestion was made that consisted of eliminating the insurance premium discount for motorists over the age of 75 because of their declining driving records, according to the Insurance Services Office (ISO), a statistical-gathering group for the insurance industry.

Drivers over the age 75 experienced more losses in property damage and bodily injuries than other drivers, according to the ISO. The 20 percent discount was later eliminated, which would later increase premiums for the elderly.

Because of statistics like these, and because of recent decisions made by auto insurance companies, it is probably a good idea for elderly drivers not to drive in general. (See article: Is it safe for old people to drive?)