Driving into the twilight years

In an automobile-dependent place like Utah, it's not surprising that nearly 90 percent of drivers 85 and older have driven in the past month, according to a new American Association of Retired Persons study. It also follows that nearly 70 percent say driving is their primary mode of transportation, even when alternatives are available. Just 7 percent use mass transit, according to the study.

These numbers are fodder for discussion in families that include aging drivers; public officials who oversee driver's license regulation as well as mass-transit operation; and police, sheriff's deputies and highway troopers who enforce traffic-safety laws.

Statistics indicate that drivers age 85 and older are more likely to be involved in fatal car crashes than teenagers who have just received their driver licenses. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says the high accident rate is due to older drivers' worsening vision, motor skills and perception.

Shouldn't it be appropriate, as a matter of public safety, to implement measures to curb public risk? The Utah Legislature has in recent years instituted several measures to address the dangers posed by teen drivers. They now earn driving privileges through a graduated process, which makes perfect sense. Considering drivers 85 and older pose an even greater risk, shouldn't lawmakers consider similar curbs, such as shorter time spans between license renewals, required vision screenings and, if necessary, required driving tests?

Families must share in this responsibility. There comes a time when they have to take the car keys away from an elderly relative whose driving skills have deteriorated. This can be a very difficult thing to do. Taking away a senior's car keys robs him or her of independence. By all means, seniors need to engage in friendships and activities outside their own homes. But there comes a time when these seniors need the assistance of their families or the know-how and confidence to use mass transit.

That also means that mass transit should be convenient and reliable, taking seniors where they need to go. The Utah Transit Authority has made great strides in providing mass transit options through TRAX and smarter bus routing, but more needs to be done.

Clearly, this is a complicated issue. Not all senior citizens are bad drivers. But traffic safety statistics don't lie. The riskiest drivers on the road are teenagers and seniors over the age of 85. In the interest of fairness and public safety, state policymakers need to address the risky group on the other end of the driving spectrum and work to ensure they have transportation alternatives when it is no longer safe for them to drive.