I came across this story in The Orange County Register, which clearly illustrates the problem that we currently have with an increasing number of senior drivers. This Westminster car accident, thankfully, did not cause any catastrophic injuries or fatalities, but it certainly had the potential to do so. According to the article, a 90-year-old man crashed into a wall at a construction site at 7001 Westminster Boulevard the afternoon of May 20, 2009. The man, Edward Robarge, told officials that his license had been expired for several years and that he crashed because he could not feel his legs when he failed to hit the brake.
Robarge admitted to officials that he should not have been driving, but that he had to take his wife to the store. His wife is apparently deaf and partially blind. The Ornage County car crash occurred when Robarge was unable to apply the brakes of his pickup truck in time for stopped traffic and veered toward a fence to avoid hitting anyone else. Neither Robarge nor his wife was seriously injured. No one else suffered any personal injuries although at least a dozen construction workers were onsite at the time of this car collision.
This could have turned out into a horrible tragedy for the elderly couple and for the construction workers who were on-the-job. Thankfully, it didn't. Robarge was right. He should not have been driving. It is obvious that he drove out of necessity, but in the process, he endangered his own life and his wife's as well as others.
The importance of this issue cannot be understated because California now has almost 3 million drivers who are 65 years or older. A recent study by the AAA Foundation states that fatality rates for drivers begin to rise after age 65. In the year 2005, nearly 11 percent of fatal car accidents in the United States involved drivers 65 or older. These facts underscore the importance of requiring seniors drivers to take driving tests more frequently so that their driving skills can be constantly evaluated. If they should not be driving, then their license should be revoked. In this case, not having a license did not stop this man. But at least it will be a deterrent to a majority of seniors who believe they can somehow "get by." Edward Robarge definitely got his wake-up call.
SLS Consulting