The National Safety Commission Alerts
Safety is No Accident
Friday, October 30, 2009
Older Drivers Don't Realize Medication Risks
As baby boomers reach retirement age, their medicine cabinets seem to become more and more crowded with all the medications needed to fight off the infirmities of old age. Blood pressure, heart problems, aches, and pains increase with every passing year and so do the visits to the doctor. Unfortunately, the AARP generation apparently isn't being warned about the effects that these medications may have on their ability to drive safely.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety sponsored a study conducted by the University of Alabama at Birmingham to assess the knowledge of older drivers regarding their medication use and the medication's effects on their driving. The study surveyed 630 Alabama adults aged 55 and over. Data from previous studies that served as a basis for this research showed that:
The AAA study revealed that:
- However, 69% currently use one or more prescription potentially driver impairing medication and 10% said they currently use five or more potentially driver-impairing medications.
- Of those using five or more potentially driver impairing medications, just 22% said they had some awareness of the potential impact on driving and only 19 percent received a warning from healthcare professional."
These findings are disturbing because it shows that health care professionals aren't taking the time to warn of the potential risks involved in these medications and those taking the medications aren't asking those critical questions. Many people don't realize that commonly prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can affect their ability to drive safely. Some may feel that these medications wouldn't be prescribed or deemed safe for sale over-the-counter if they posed any dangers however, under some conditions, a driver can be arrested for DUI when driving under the influence of these medications.
The study specifically addressed commonly prescribed medications such as beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and sedatives.
Beta Blockers are commonly prescribed to reduce blood pressure or to control abnormal heart rhythm. Some possible side effects of these medications can include:
- headache
- depression
- confusion
- dizziness
- hallucinations
ACE inhibitors are used to control blood pressure, prevent strokes and prevent kidney damage in those patients suffering from hypertension or diabetes. Possible side effects of these drugs include:
- low blood pressure
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- weakness
As people age they often encounter sleep problems and are sometimes prescribed sedatives. Sedatives obviously can affect driving and users should see how they react to the drug before driving. There have been reports of users of Ambien, a prescription sleep aid, walking, driving, and making midnight phone calls with no memory of the event the next day.
Common over-the-counter allergy and cold relief medications such as Benedryl cause drowsiness and can have as great an impact on your driving as alcohol.
Often, older people are prescribed different drugs from different doctors with no knowledge of how those medications may react with the other medications they are taking. Older drivers should inform their doctors of all the drugs they are taking and ask how those drugs may interact with others and what effect the medications may have on their driving. Concerned family members should get involved and help older relatives compile a list of their medications and ask about the side effects.
Pharmacists are also an excellent resource and sometimes may have an even better understanding of the medication's side effects than the physician. Pharmacists can keep a list of the medications you are taking and can warn of possible drug interactions and side effects.
It is always best to check with your physician or pharmacist but there are also on-line resources that can be of help. One of the best is http://www.drugs.com/. This free web site allows you to enter all your medications and lists side effects and possible interactions with other drugs you are taking that may affect your driving. You can also request to be notified by email of any Food and Drug Administration alerts on your medications.
Almost all of the common medications that older people take have warnings about consuming alcohol while taking the medication. Mixing alcohol and medications can have a increased impact on driving abilities and can cause a drug interaction that could be fatal.
Labels: driver safety, older drivers, over-the-counter medications, senior citizens, senior drivers, vehicle accidents
Monday, July 27, 2009
Older Drivers: Myth vs. Fact
If you are a resident of any of the Sun Belt or Gulf Coast states with large populations of retirees, doubtless you have heard or even commented yourself on what a problem older drivers are and their impact on the flow of traffic. Newspaper headlines about an elderly driver becoming confused and plowing into a group of people increase the call for restrictions or even outright revocation of driver's licenses for the elderly. With the post-WWII baby boom generation reaching retirement age, the country will soon realize the largest population of elderly drivers in its history. With that in mind, it is time to sort out the facts from the myths regarding older drivers.
Certainly there are many cases where older drivers have continued to drive past the point where their physical abilities, vision, and mental capacity allow them to drive safely. More and more adult children of these drivers are facing the agonizing prospect of taking the keys away from their elderly parent. While these cases seem to get all the headlines, the statistics tend to show that older drivers are the safest drivers on the road and their fatality rates in motor vehicle crashes are actually trending downward.
In January of 2009, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) published a report showing that between the years of 1997 - 2006, the fatality rate for drivers 70 years of age and older had actually fallen by 21% even though their numbers had grown by 10%. Older drivers experienced a much bigger decline in fatality rates than drivers aged 35 - 54.
In fact, the most dangerous group of drivers with the highest crash and fatality rates continue to be 15 -24 year-olds who should be at their physical and mental peak. According to a study published in 2007 by the RAND Corporation, researchers looking at records for 2001 determined that people 65 and older made up about 15% of all licensed drivers but accounted for only 7 percent of collisions in the US. Drivers between the ages of 15 to 24 however made up only 13% of all licensed drivers but were responsible for 43% of all the collisions in the US.
The studies looking at the fatality rates for older drivers don't explain why the fatality rates are going down but it is felt that the results could stem from the fact that older drivers are healthier and more fit than they were in the past, they have better access to improved healthcare and they drive newer, safer cars. Older drivers also limit their driving; the less time on the road means fewer chances for collisions.
A Florida law requiring vision tests for drivers 80 and older when they renew their driver's license was cited by a University of Alabama at Birmingham study as one of the reasons for the decline in death rates for older drivers but another study by the British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit was unable to show a relationship between vision tests and fatality rates. One reason is that the common vision test given by most licensing centers is extremely limited in the types of vision problems that it can detect. Researchers feel that drivers who have night vision problems are limiting their driving to daytime and other older drivers are voluntarily giving up their licenses when they realize their vision limits their ability to drive safely.
The complaints about older drivers slowing traffic flow doesn't have much merit either. Studies show that traffic is being slowed significantly by cell phone users. A University of Utah study shows that 18 to 25 year-olds who were tested in a driving simulator while talking on a cell phone had the same reaction time to emergencies as 65 to 74 year-olds. In another study they found that drivers talking on a cell phone "made fewer lane changes, had a lower overall mean speed and a significant increase in travel time in medium and high density driving conditions. Compared with undistracted motorists, drivers on cell phones drove an average of 2 mph slower, were 18% slower in stepping on the brakes, and 17% slower in regaining their speed after braking. They also kept a greater following distance than drivers who weren't using cell phones. That may not seem like much, but is likely to be compounded if 10 percent of all drivers are talking on wireless phones at the same time."
All this isn't to say that older drivers do not cause problems on the road. Obviously, as we age, there are more physical limitations that can affect a driver's ability. Alzheimer's and dementia becomes more prevalent as drivers age. These problems are serious but it is impossible to relate these conditions to any particular age. Middle aged drivers with heart disease or diabetes can be just as limited as a driver who is 85 or older.
Giving up the keys to a car and becoming dependent on others for transportation means that an older driver is giving up their independence, freedom, and dignity. There are programs to help older drivers improve their driving skills and to help older drivers and their families determine when it is time to surrender the keys and stop driving. The following resources may be helpful for older drivers:
Florida Auto Insurance Discount Course for Mature Drivers
Florida Statute 627.0652 requires insurance companies to provide a discount for drivers 55 years of age or older who have successfully completed an approved accident prevention course.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers an online brochure called "Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully"
Certainly there are many cases where older drivers have continued to drive past the point where their physical abilities, vision, and mental capacity allow them to drive safely. More and more adult children of these drivers are facing the agonizing prospect of taking the keys away from their elderly parent. While these cases seem to get all the headlines, the statistics tend to show that older drivers are the safest drivers on the road and their fatality rates in motor vehicle crashes are actually trending downward.
In January of 2009, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) published a report showing that between the years of 1997 - 2006, the fatality rate for drivers 70 years of age and older had actually fallen by 21% even though their numbers had grown by 10%. Older drivers experienced a much bigger decline in fatality rates than drivers aged 35 - 54.
In fact, the most dangerous group of drivers with the highest crash and fatality rates continue to be 15 -24 year-olds who should be at their physical and mental peak. According to a study published in 2007 by the RAND Corporation, researchers looking at records for 2001 determined that people 65 and older made up about 15% of all licensed drivers but accounted for only 7 percent of collisions in the US. Drivers between the ages of 15 to 24 however made up only 13% of all licensed drivers but were responsible for 43% of all the collisions in the US.
The studies looking at the fatality rates for older drivers don't explain why the fatality rates are going down but it is felt that the results could stem from the fact that older drivers are healthier and more fit than they were in the past, they have better access to improved healthcare and they drive newer, safer cars. Older drivers also limit their driving; the less time on the road means fewer chances for collisions.
A Florida law requiring vision tests for drivers 80 and older when they renew their driver's license was cited by a University of Alabama at Birmingham study as one of the reasons for the decline in death rates for older drivers but another study by the British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit was unable to show a relationship between vision tests and fatality rates. One reason is that the common vision test given by most licensing centers is extremely limited in the types of vision problems that it can detect. Researchers feel that drivers who have night vision problems are limiting their driving to daytime and other older drivers are voluntarily giving up their licenses when they realize their vision limits their ability to drive safely.
The complaints about older drivers slowing traffic flow doesn't have much merit either. Studies show that traffic is being slowed significantly by cell phone users. A University of Utah study shows that 18 to 25 year-olds who were tested in a driving simulator while talking on a cell phone had the same reaction time to emergencies as 65 to 74 year-olds. In another study they found that drivers talking on a cell phone "made fewer lane changes, had a lower overall mean speed and a significant increase in travel time in medium and high density driving conditions. Compared with undistracted motorists, drivers on cell phones drove an average of 2 mph slower, were 18% slower in stepping on the brakes, and 17% slower in regaining their speed after braking. They also kept a greater following distance than drivers who weren't using cell phones. That may not seem like much, but is likely to be compounded if 10 percent of all drivers are talking on wireless phones at the same time."
All this isn't to say that older drivers do not cause problems on the road. Obviously, as we age, there are more physical limitations that can affect a driver's ability. Alzheimer's and dementia becomes more prevalent as drivers age. These problems are serious but it is impossible to relate these conditions to any particular age. Middle aged drivers with heart disease or diabetes can be just as limited as a driver who is 85 or older.
Giving up the keys to a car and becoming dependent on others for transportation means that an older driver is giving up their independence, freedom, and dignity. There are programs to help older drivers improve their driving skills and to help older drivers and their families determine when it is time to surrender the keys and stop driving. The following resources may be helpful for older drivers:
Florida Auto Insurance Discount Course for Mature Drivers
Florida Statute 627.0652 requires insurance companies to provide a discount for drivers 55 years of age or older who have successfully completed an approved accident prevention course.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers an online brochure called "Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully"
Labels: elderly driver, elderly drivers, safety, senior drivers
Monday, June 08, 2009
Florida Senior Citizen Charged With Killing Pedestrian
Tragedy Raises Questions About When to Take Keys Away From Elderly Relatives
A Seminole County, Florida senior citizen has been charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash after running over a pedestrian.
Another driver who saw what happened chased down and stopped the accused, John Sepelak Jr., 78, five miles from the scene.
Charges are pending, but alcohol was not an apparent factor in the crash, officials said.
Florida Highway Patrol authorities say the victim, 48-year-old Paula Carrison, tumbled into the roadway on a recent Friday evening. Sepelak struck the woman, drove off, and then returned to the scene, according to the highway patrol report. At that point he "became scared and drove off" again, the report read.
A Seminole County, Florida senior citizen has been charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash after running over a pedestrian.
Another driver who saw what happened chased down and stopped the accused, John Sepelak Jr., 78, five miles from the scene.
Charges are pending, but alcohol was not an apparent factor in the crash, officials said.
Florida Highway Patrol authorities say the victim, 48-year-old Paula Carrison, tumbled into the roadway on a recent Friday evening. Sepelak struck the woman, drove off, and then returned to the scene, according to the highway patrol report. At that point he "became scared and drove off" again, the report read.
Labels: elderly drivers, senior drivers, when to take the keys
