Washington – The number of “geezer” drivers will explode in America over the next two decades. And that could pose problems for states concerned about highway safety.
A little more than half the states have taken steps to deal with safety problems posed by older drivers, but there is growing concern that as the baby boom population retires, states might have to be do more to prevent more age- related accidents.
The Government Accountability Office cited the issue in a report Wednesday as a looming problem that will mean more public expenditures to help the baby boomers stay safe on the roads.
“Older driver safety issues will become increasingly significant in the future because older adults represent the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population,” the GAO said.
“By 2030, the number of licensed drivers aged 65 and older is expected to nearly double to about 57 million.”
Some of the ideas proposed by the Federal Highway Administration include bigger signs with larger lettering, better designed intersections, assessing the fitness of older drivers, more training, and requiring elderly drivers to renew their licenses more frequently.
These recommendations have been adopted in varying degrees by the states, the GAO said, and the Federal Highway Administration is also researching the effectiveness of these practices.
States are doing more to improve the design of intersections so that elderly people are notified in advance with large, reflective signs of such things as the street’s name and “wrong way” signs, the report said.
But the report said other safety issues, such as highway-railroad intersections and roadside hazards, are of greater concern to the states, rather than projects to help elderly drivers.
“As people age, their physical, visual and cognitive abilities may deteriorate, making it more difficult for them to drive safely,” the GAO said in a report to the Senate Special Committee on Aging.
“Furthermore, older drivers are more likely to suffer injuries or die in accidents than drivers in most age groups in part because of the greater frailty that comes with age.”
