Following these tips should help keep seniors safe on the road
Unsafe drivers of any age are putting themselves and others at risk every time they look down at their cell phone or violate a traffic law. However, as you age, you may find it easier to become distracted and more challenging to notice potential dangers early and react quickly, making it more important than ever to conscientiously practice safe driving habits. The following 5 safe driving tips for seniors should help you avoid unnecessary risk and reduce your chances of causing or being involved in an auto accident.
1. Avoid Driving at Night. As people age, their eyesight tends to weaken, and often the first sign of this process is increased difficulty seeing at night. By simply avoiding driving at night whenever possible, you can greatly reduce the risk of impaired night vision or driver fatigue contributing to an accident.
2. Be Ultra Aware of Your Surroundings. In your younger days, your reactions were faster and you had a better chance of avoiding hazards such as a car that swerved into your lane or a wayward bicyclist or pedestrian crossing the street illegally. As you age, however, reaction speeds decrease. This makes it very important to be super vigilant of your surroundings while driving so you can get as much notice as possible of a potential hazard. Scan the traffic around you as well as the sidewalks and cross streets and always be aware of where your vehicle is in relation to others.
3. Eliminate Distractions. Distracted driving is a serious problem for people of all ages. Seniors can be especially prone to this when using new technologies that they may not be entirely comfortable with. It is a good idea to turn your cell phone off while driving so you are not tempted to answer it. Also, you may want to practice using a GPS unit as a passenger first to get comfortable with the display and commands before using it to guide you while driving.
4. Avoid Heavy Traffic. Traffic on the LA freeways can be a real nightmare, and accidents are common. Why involve yourself in this mess if you do not have to? By avoiding peak traffic times you can reduce the number of cars you have to share the road with and lower your risk of a causing or being involved in an accident. If you do need to drive in traffic, remain calm, know your route, plan your lane changes well in advance, and use your signals properly.
5. Consider a Mature Driver Course. Taking a mature driver course through your local community center or through a retirement or travel association can be an excellent way to get a refresher on safe driving practices, as well as an update on recent changes to traffic and vehicle safety regulations.
If you do get into an accident that was not entirely your fault, be sure to call an expert auto accident attorney like Fernando D. Vargas right away. Your attorney can handle the interaction with the insurance companies for you and also gather evidence that will enable you to seek appropriate compensation for any injuries you may have suffered.
