A recent car crash into the seating area for patrons of a café in neighboring Connecticut involving an elderly driver has New York car accident attorneys wondering if stricter rules should be placed on drivers as they age in the state of New York.
Currently, there are few restrictions on license renewal and the majority of senior citizens are on the honor system to report any medical problems to the Department of Motor Vehicles that could affect their driving ability.
As senior citizens age they become less reactive and more confused, which results in more elderly driver car accidents in Manhattan and elsewhere. As in the recent Connecticut accident, a 92-year-old driver thought he was stepping on the brake pedal when he actually stepped on the gas, accelerating into the building.
CTpost.com reports the elderly driver was trying to pull into a handicap parking spot right in front of the café when he mistakenly hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and landed 20 feet inside the dining area. The vehicle hit 2 women sitting outside the restaurant before crashing through the storefront which resulted in one pregnant woman having a broken leg and the other a broken pelvis which will take weeks to recover from. There were 8 other patrons hurt from the collision but the elderly driver was not injured and when asked, he could not recall the accident at all.
Every adult child is faced with the cold hard truth that their parent should no longer drive, yet many hesitate to take the keys away because they know it will take their loved one’s freedom away.
Liberty Mutual offers some advice when you get ready to have “the talk”.
Observe the elders driving skills by riding with them and have confidence that it is the right time to have a discussion about not driving anymore with concrete examples of poor driving skills.
Look into other alternatives for transportation so they don’t feel trapped inside their home with no means of getting out.
Initiate the conversation by asking them how they feel when they are behind the wheel. Always be respectful and listen to their concerns and opinions with an open mind. It is easy to react to their negative feelings, so don’t get entangled in an argument but rather be patient and positive in your responses.
If your parent is emphatic about still driving, suggest going to a professional driving teacher or drivers’ rehabilitation expert for seniors to evaluate their driving skills. Another suggestion would be to go to their attending physician to get a medical clearance that says they still have the skills needed to drive safely.
Visit New York State Department of Motor Vehicles online for more information about resources for the older driver. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety also offers a variety of resources for older drivers by scrolling down on the webpage.
If you or your elderly loved on has been involved in a car accident in New York City or the surrounding areas, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose, PLLC for a free no-obligation appointment to discuss your rights. Call 1-877-313-7673 today.
Additional Resources:
Accidents spotlight elderly driving issues, by Jeff Morganteen, CTpost.com.
More Blog Entries:
New York Drivers Rank in Bottom 5 – Do You Know How to Handle an Accident? New York Injury Lawyer Blog, June 20, 2011.
Memorial Day Holiday Weekend Sees Spike in Car Accidents in New York and Elsewhere, New York Injury Lawyer Blog, May 23, 2011.
