Samenvatting
This fact sheet discusses issues related to older drivers and highway and automobile safety. It notes that, in addition to the fact that the population of older individuals is growing, the proportion of drivers in that population is also increasing. A number of factors place older drivers at risk. These include: (1) Decreases in cognitive skills, vision, hearing and reaction time as individuals age. (2) Older vehicles driven by the elderly tend to lack up to date safety features. (3) Roads, intersections and traffic signs may be confusing and/or hard to read. In order to reduce the risk to older drivers the following areas need to be improved: driving skills and behavior, the driving environment and the vehicle driven. (Author/publisher)