California insurance industry urging watchful eye over elderly drivers

posted by Laurence Shipman

The Insurance Information Network of California is asking that people keep on eye out for signs of risky driving by senior citizens.

Some of these signs could include forgetfulness, aggressive behavior, and stubbornness. If these actions are observed from an senior driver, they made need to reduce the time they spend behind the wheel. These warnings may save a person's life, the IINC said.

More than 4,500 senior drivers 70 years and older died in car crashes in 2008, the IINC said. Although people of that age are less likely to have licenses compared to those younger than them, more are keeping them than in the past, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said. The likelihood of someone 75 years old and up being involved in a fatal crash is significantly above the national average.

IINC executive director Candysse Miller said that "in California, more than 2.5 million seniors carry driver’s licenses - and that number is expected to balloon in the coming years. To recognize Older Americans Month, we should help senior drivers evaluate their skills behind the wheel."

The number of seniors dying who are vehicle occupants has decreased 29 percent since 1997, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said.