According to a 2001 study conducted by AAA, drivers over age 65 are 25 percent more likely to get into a car accident than middle-aged drivers. Those over 85 are 50 percent more likely to get into a car crash during a left-hand turn. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that drivers 75 and older are second only to teenagers in terms of fatalities per 100 miles driven.
These statistics are the reason why Senator Brian A. Joyce is pushing for stricter standards for seniors who retain a driver’s license.
An editorial printed in the Milford Daily News points out that a majority of states already have laws that require older drivers to take more vision and road tests. Some states also require mandatory vision tests when drivers go to renew. In Massachusetts, drivers’ vision is tested once every ten years.
Although it may seem arbitrary to single out drivers over a certain age, the bill could potentially reduce the number of car accidents in Massachusetts.
Editorial: Eye tests for older drivers, Milford Daily News, March 16, 2009
A Massachusetts car crash attorney can answer your legal questions if you have been involved in an accident.