Older drivers
The risk to older drivers being involved in a fatal accident is as high as for the young, inexperienced drivers.
Older drivers are more likely to have accidents associated with negotiating junctions.
In general, older drivers find it more difficult to judge the speed and intentions of other drivers. There is an obvious relationship between good eyesight and safety on the roads.
From the age of around 45, most of us need glasses to see well either at a distance, close up or both. For example by around the age of 60 our eyes will normally require 3 times more light to see as well as they did at 20.
It is important to recognise that many traffic changes have occurred during our lifetime and today we face increasingly heavy traffic and congestion on the roads.
Plan ahead
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Reduce your stress levels - if you are retired you can travel outside the peak hours.
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Travelling makes us tired and this can lead to accidents. Pamper yourself by taking frequent breaks during your journey.
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Check with your doctor or chemist about the effects of any medicines prescribed or purchased. They could affect your driving.
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Planning your route in advance means you can cope better with the journey ahead.
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Take extra care at night or in bad weather. Try to avoid these times if you can.
If you don't use your car very often it may be cheaper and safer to use a taxi or public transport.
Older Drivers Seminars
During the summer of 2004 the Road Safety Team held 2 highly successful older driver seminars for drivers aged 55 and over.
The Team with help from RoSPA, IAM advanced driving group, the Bedfordshire & Luton Accident Casualty reduction Partnership, Sight Concern and our own Trading Standards team provided advice and discussion on the ageing process in relation to driving, gave updates on motoring laws, a Highway Code related quiz, free driving assessment and eye sight tests were offered.
It is hoped that the team will continue to stage these events from time to time.