Articles
Senior Drivers and Medications: Facts You Did Not Know
by Casey Meraz World AdventurerA news report released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety spotlights the traffic safety and accident risks facing senior motorists. The analysis finds that although senior drivers have much lower accident risks compared to other driver categories, they also face a much higher accident risk because of the medications that they are on.
Some findings from the report:
- Older drivers who
suffer from a medical condition and are on medication are likely to
self-police their driving. At least three- quarters of drivers above the
age of 65 said that they had cut down the amount of driving they do
every day. Those who use medications drive a few days each week, and
they drive less at night.
- Female motorists are much more likely to report suffering from medical conditions, and using multiple medications.
- Senior
motorists continue to drive fairly frequently even when they are
self-policing. Even when they are self-regulating, more than 75 percent
of male drivers and 60% of female drivers above the age of 85 drove for
five or more days a week.
- Interestingly enough, the study also
found that higher income was linked to more driving, and less
self-policing among senior motorists. The reasons for this are not
immediately clear, but the self-regulation continues to decrease with
income until the person reaches the age of 80.
- Some prescription
drugs are linked with an increased risk of accidents. These medications
include antidepressants, psychoactive drugs, and benzodiazepines. These
are all medications that senior drivers are likely to be on to control a
number of conditions, including cardiac disease, hypertension,
diabetes, and arthritis.
Senior motorists need to discuss
medication use with their physicians, and come up with alternatives,
avoid driving after taking drugs that induce sleepiness, or regulate
their own driving.
To learn more about medications contact Attorney Robert Reeves with The Reeves Law Group at 200 West Santa Ana Blvd, Ste 630, Santa Ana, CA 90071. 714-550-6000.
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About Casey Meraz 
World Adventurer
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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.
