In the majority of states, taking a driving exam is only necessary before receiving a license to drive. No one is required to retake the driving exam in order to renew their license. The one test lifetime strategy has thus caused too many problems for the transportation sector. Due to the long life expectancy in America, most drivers are older than youthful drivers. Senior drivers are more likely to cause an accident than younger drivers because of the complicated coordination skills needed, mental and physical changes, vision and hearing impairment, and other factors, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Similarly, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) states that most elderly drivers are the majorly associated with accidents and that they have a higher death rate in case of an accident occurrence (Insurance Information Institute, 2017). Therefore, older licensed drivers should undergo a yearly vision and drive exams to renew their license to ensure safety on the roads hence minimize accidents risks. This essay will persuasively explain why all the citizens with an overage of seventy-five years should be given yearly driving and vision exams to renew the license.
Besides, the US population comprises of the seniors who comprise of 15.2 percent of the entire population. According to Insurance Information Institute (2017), the number of the elderly drivers is significantly increased at a higher rate due to the generation of Baby Boomers in the US. In 2015, approximately 40.1 million individuals in America had licensed drivers with an age of sixty-five years and above. Majority of the older drivers that were involved in fatal accidents was approximately 18 percent according to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA). Additionally, more than 240,000 older people were seriously injured in traffic crashes (Insurance Information Institute, 2017). Similarly, a survey conducted on 3,763 respondents, seventy-three percent of the population raised a concern on the older motorist's driving behavior, thus, they recommended that older drivers should undergo regular driving tests to prove their driving fitness (Motton, 2013). According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the elderly drivers have higher chances of causing fatal crashes. Statistically, older adults involved in an accident have a lower probability of surviving injuries (Motton, 2013). Henceforth, based on research and recent statistics regarding older drivers, a regular test on vision and driving is necessary.
Remarkably, circumstances have increased accidents caused by the elderly drivers. For instance, there is a need for older drivers to take driving tests to sharpen their driving skills. Change is inevitable and ought to be embraced. Traffic rules and regulations keep on changing every time hence there is a need for continuous take of driving exams to modify driver's skills thus avoid such accidents. According to Westport News (2010), the structures of roads, as well as rules, keep on changing, therefore, need to learn the changes. For example, most elderly accidents in the US are as a result of traffic lane drifting, poor decisions while making left-hand turns as well as unfamiliarity with new traffic rules. Similarly, seniors are incompetent due to their diminished sensory capability and low processing speed. According to Westport News (2010), the older drivers take a lot of time to respond to any emergency on roads thus causing fatal accidents. Furthermore, they tend to suffer from the loss of flexibility and muscle strength hence they fail to take precautions faster in case of an emergency on the road thus increase the impact of the accident.
On the same note, citizens over 75 years should undergo vision exams since older people are associated with vision and hearing impairment (Gafni, 2015). For instance, older people have a challenge in seeing objects on their way or hearing warning horns. Statistically, some of the accidents in the US are as a result of vision problems among the elderly drivers (Gafni, 2015). Therefore, it is necessary that the older drivers should undergo vision test to ensure that their eyes are fit hence they can drive safely and minimize accident prevalence. Similarly, elderly drivers tend to operate at a slow speed than the required speed limit which irritates most drivers especially the young drivers thus increasing the chances of accidents. The behavior of driving at a low rate may be associated with poor visionary or slower processing speed of the mind. Consequently, older drivers should undertake vision exams and if found unfit, their license should be revoked. By so doing, accidents based on the prone drivers will be eliminated thus decrease in vehicle deaths and accidents.
In conclusion, all citizens with over 75 years should be given yearly driving and vision exams to renew their licenses thus reduce the occurrence of accidents caused by older drivers. For instance, aging affects individual's vision, hearing as well as coordination skills, therefore, it becomes difficult for elderly drivers to drive if they are unfit (Larsen, 2016). Similarly, old drivers have a lower processing speed and sensory capacity hence there is a necessity for a test exam before renewing their license. According to Larsen (2016), older drivers with low acoustic take a lot of time to react to any danger that may further cause accident thus the necessity for exam test. On the same note, drivers with low vision have a reduced capability to concentrate or focus on road signs that are necessary for minimizing the occurrence of accidents. Therefore, citizens over 75 years should partake test to check on their fitness to drive on the road hence reduce the incidences of accidents. If their capability is minimal, their licenses should be revoked too.
References
Gafni, M. (2015). Should Older Drivers Undergo Road Tests To Keep License? Retrieved on October 3, 2015 from http://www.mercurynews.com/2015/10/03/should-older-drivers-undergo-road-tests-to-keep-licenses/
Insurance Information Institute. (2017). Background On: Older Drivers. Retrieved on June 01, 2017 from https://www.iii.org/article/background-on-older-drivers
Larsen, D. (2016). Should Seniors Be Required To Take Driving Test? Retrieved on February 01, 2016 from https://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/seniors-and-the-driving-debacle-when-should-you-take-away-the-keys/
Motton, D. (2013). Older Drivers Should Retake Their Test, Says Survey. Retrieved on May 17, 2013 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/10061578/Older-drivers-should-retake-their-test-says-survey.html
Westport News. (2010). Should The Elderly Drivers Be Retested? Retrieved on March 10, 2010 from http://www.westport-news.com/opinion/article/Should-elderly-drivers-be-retested-399215.php
