Senior Automobile Safety

by Jaye Lewis

It seemed to me as though it happened overnight. One day I was a capable, can-do independent woman, and overnight I became a senior. I used to be able to take care of myself - change a tire; check the oil and engine fluids; hold up half the world while making it better for my children; and stand on the road, willing someone to stop and help me if my car broke down. I now have those typical and not so typical senior medical problems, which limit my ability to drive my car safely, especially at night.

Automobiles are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Older people, specifically seniors, are more susceptible to injury in a collision than drivers half their age. Seniors 65 and older have the second highest death rate in automobile accidents, after the 15-24 age group. The deadly statistics are even higher for senior women.

Safety on the road is essential, especially for seniors, who often have limited mobility and eyesight. Here are a few tips to help seniors maintain their automobile safety:

• Get to Know Your Car Mechanic. A good mechanic is a driver’s best friend. Ask him or her for a run-through on how to recognize your car’s symptoms, much as you would ask your doctor about your medical symptoms.

• Keep Your Automobile in Top Condition. The chance of mechanical failure on the road can be reduced, if you take care of your car in the following ways: (1) have it serviced regularly; (2) maintain the proper tire pressure; (3) replace worn tires; (4) check your breaks and lights regularly. Again, your trusted mechanic is your car’s best friend.

• Buckle-Up! Wear your seat-belt! A seat belt can save your life, increasing survival rates by a remarkable 50%. When your car skids off the road, and you are heading for a collision, your seat-belt holds you firmly in place, so that when the car stops, you will not fly through the windshield.

Lame Reasons for Not Wearing a Seat-Belt:

1. “I don’t need them for a short drive.” WRONG! 75% of automobile accidents occur less than 25 miles from home.

2. “I don’t drive fast enough to need my seat-belt.” WRONG! 80% of all accidents happen at speeds LESS than 40 miles per hour. People have been killed in an accident, when they were traveling less than 12 miles per hour.

3. “I don’t need to wear one as a passenger.” WRONG! Think about it. The driver exceeds 40 miles per hour, hits something, and the car stops short. Everything and everyone in the car keeps going, at over 40 miles per hour. Passengers have been known to fly through the front wind-shield from the back seat!

4. “I’m a good driver.” Congratulations! You just may be the best driver in the world, but you are not invincible. And you can’t control what other people will do. You can get clipped from the front or clipped from the back. Your car goes spinning, and you are not in control anymore.

5. “I’d rather fly through the windshield, than be trapped in a car.” Really. Let me see. You’re over 60, and you have mildly brittle bones. Would you really rather be thrown through the windshield? Run over by a northbound tractor-trailer truck? Or just shattered against a tree? I doubt it!

The real reason that seniors don’t wear seat-belts is because we were not raised with them. When we first learned how to drive, there were no safety belts. We hate change. Maybe we’re alone, and we resent that. Maybe we are living on less income, and we resent that, too. We have little control over the world around us, and choosing not to wear a seat-belt gives us a false sense of control. Don’t bet your life on it!

Air-Bags. Safety Equipment? Or Hazard?

Air bags have saved lives. In a collision, front-end air-bags inflate automatically and cushion the chest and head from solid object impact. Some cars also have side air-bags. There are some precautions that need to be considered. A small child or elderly person should not sit in front of an air-bag. The sudden inflation is dramatic, and injury is possible in a child or adult at risk. Also, when an air-bag inflates, it does so because of chemicals inside the bag, which may be hazardous to individuals with lung disease or asthma.

Here are some air-bag safety considerations:

• Always wear your safety belts, even if you have air-bags. Your first, best defense is your seat-belt.

• Position your driver’s seat as far back from the air-bag as is reasonable for your height.

• If you transport children, never place them in the front seat. Always put them in the back, and buckle their seat-belts.

Road Emergencies

• Keep your trunk stocked with a road emergency kit, which includes a flashlight, flares or battery operated blinking hazard lights.

• Keep a working spare tire, a jack, and a first aid kit in the trunk as well. Never borrow from your first aid kit. Keep it in your car at all times, and make certain that it is updated every year. Really good kits can be bought at any superstore or online drugstore.

• Keep a blanket, bottles of water, and some protein or granola bars. These will be invaluable if you break down.

• Keep a large candle (preferably encased in a heat-proof holder) and stick matches, inside a zipper-plastic bag. If you are broken down and the outside temperature is below freezing, a lighted candle will keep the temperature inside the car just above freezing. This can protect you for a longer period of time.

• Never leave the car and start walking, especially in high heat or freezing cold. Call for help on your cell phone.

Safe Driving

• Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs (this includes prescription pain killers). If you plan to drink, take along a non-drinking friend, who will keep you out of trouble and will drive you safely home.

• Don’t follow close to the car in front of you. You cannot stop in time, when that car suddenly breaks to slow down or stop. If you are following a tractor-trailer truck, and you can’t see the driver’s face in his or her side view mirrors, the driver can’t see you. Your nice little car can wind up crushed underneath the trailer, if he has to screech to a halt.

• Carry a cell phone, preferably one that has a single button to dial 911. Never talk on the phone while driving. No one is that skillful a driver. Make certain that the cell phone is in working order. Cell phone use in a car should be strictly used for safety calls.

• When the traffic light turns yellow, never go through it. That is your signal to slow to a stop, safely. Never race through a red light. That is the single most dangerous thing that you can do.

• Drive at the speed limit, only. Keep to the right, except for passing. Never drive slowly in the passing lane. Stay in the slow lane or take a side road.

• Do not drive if you are sleepy. If you are tired, pull over in a safe, lighted area, and take a nap, or get out and walk around. Drink some coffee or a cola. The caffeine can help you to wake up.

Handing Over Your Car Keys

The hardest choice for seniors of any age is knowing when to quit driving. Driving safely requires concentration, quick reflexes, and the ability to sense danger. I’m slowing down. My eyesight fails me after dusk. My hearing is not reliable. My reflexes are not what they once were. Arthritis has made it difficult to drive, and sometimes I can’t even open the car door safely. I’m night-blind. I take medicines that slow down my response time. I’ve handed over my keys.

In spite of my limitations, I have a wonderful life, with a family who loves me. Limited though I may be, I am a happy woman. So, look at your life. Look at the news, where this or that senior has gone to jail for vehicular homicide, simply because they wouldn’t hand over their keys. This is a choice only you can make. To keep driving even when you are a danger to others or yourself is foolish. Make the wise decision. There are people in your life who need you. If you can’t do it for yourself, do it for them. When you cannot drive safely, hand over your keys. It is the best gift of life that you can give to your loved ones.