Focus on senior driver safety week
Sliding behind the steering wheel and taking off to a chosen destination is something most people over the age of 16 take for granted.
But at what point do drivers become a danger to themselves and others on the road or even in parking lots or sidewalks?
The state Department of Transportation declared this week as Older Driver Safety Awareness Week to highlight the importance of being safe on the road and older driver mobility.
The effort is part of a national program that was done the last several years, said Jan McKnight, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation in Harrisburg.
According to PennDOT statistics, 20 percent of the almost 8.9 million licensed drivers are 65 and older. In 2013, mature drivers were involved in 15 percent of statewide crashes and 23 percent of fatal wrecks.
Last week, an 88-year-old man struck and killed a 30-year-old woman who was almost 9 months pregnant as she sat outside a drug store on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Doctors were able to deliver the baby boy, but he remains in critical condition. Pittsburgh police said the elderly man, who appeared confused, may have hit the gas pedal while parking in the store’s lot.
Family members should look for indications there may be issues that affect a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle, McKnight said.
“The signs should be fairly easy to observe,” McKnight said. “The loved one may seem scared while behind the wheel. They might have difficulty parking or you might see dings and dents appearing on the vehicle.”
“Have a conversation with them,” she suggested. “Ask about how they feel while driving.”
McKnight said the state randomly selects 1,900 drivers over the age of 45 annually to undergo physical and vision exams at the time of license renewal. If the results suggest a need, the driver may be required to retake a driver’s test.
Under the state’s medical reporting program, doctors are required to report to PennDOT anyone 15 and over who has been diagnosed with a condition that may impair their ability to drive safely, McKnight added. PennDOT also receives requests for retesting from law enforcement. McKnight said family members or others with concerns about an individual’s driving ability can send anonymous requests for retesting to PennDOT. The state reviews those requests before sending out a notice.
Situational awareness is not as good as what it was when the driver was younger, said Trooper Matthew Jardine, community services officer for Trooper B in Washington.
“They might not be able to see the car beside them and react in time,” Jardine said. “They may be a little slower getting the foot to the brake. Other times, they might just pick a pick a lane and just stay there.”
Jardine said that recently an elderly driver failed to stop for the emergency lights of a trooper attempting a traffic stop. Two troopers were injured, including one reportedly hit by the man’s car, when they tried to take him into custody after a brief pursuit.
“That led to a pursuit,” Jardine said. “I don’t know if there were other issues with him, but his decision not to pull over led to a bad situation.”
The trooper also recalled that while working at the Waynesburg station in July, an elderly driver hit the wrong pedal and crashed into the Dairy Queen.
“The vehicle went right through the wall,” Jardine said. “Fortunately, no one was injured.”
“Some just don’t have the physical dexterity to maneuver in an emergency situation,” Jardine said. “Driving is a divided attention task where you are always doing two things – paying attention to the road while moving your arms and legs to control a motor vehicle.”
North Strabane Township police Officer Matthew Schmeltz said that several years ago an elderly driver hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and crashed through King’s restaurant at the intersection of Washington and McClelland roads.
“I have heard some horror stories of family members trying to have a loved one’s license taken away,” Schmeltz said.
But just because a driver is older does not mean that person is no longer capable of driving, he added.
“It needs to be a case-by-case basis,” Schmeltz said. “Taking their license is taking their freedom.”
North Franklin Township police Chief Rob Fox has not noticed any particular issues with elderly drivers.
“We have nothing that says they are any worse than 25-year-old drivers,” Fox said. “Most of what we have in the parking lot of Washington Crown Center are fender-benders and it is because drivers are not pay attention. The age range of the drivers is across the board.”
Approved driver improvement courses are available for older drivers who may just need to sharpen their skills. Courses are offered across the state. A list of organizations offering courses is available at www.JustDrivePA.org at the “Older Driver” link under the Traffic Safety Information Center. Safety tips and the publication “Talking with Older Drivers” can also be downloaded from the site.