Separate Incidents Kill Two Elderly Drivers
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A question we often get in Florida is - how old is too old to drive?
This generally comes from the adult children of elderly drivers who are concerned that they may be liable if they don't take their elderly parents car keys away. No, they cannot be held liable unless they own the car. But there is the nagging knowledge that they should help their parent make this important transition in life.
Not to discriminate against our elders, certainly there are young people who don’t drive safety, but a couple of cases this week bring the question into sharp focus.
Grace H. Ross, 90, was driving south on Eulace Rd in Jacksonville around 11 a.m. Tuesday when she turned left onto Timuquana in front of a semi driven by 33-year-old Patrick P. Mowry. Ross was taken to Shands Hospital and pronounced dead. Her 94-year-old passenger, Dennis M. Ross suffered serious injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Everyone was wearing their seat belts and the driver of the truck was not hurt.
In another accident, everyone was wearing their seat belts too. Margaret M. Wolosin, 88, of St. Augustine tried to turn onto U.S. 1 when the driver’s side of her car was hit by an oncoming pickup truck. Wolosin died after being taken to Flagler Hospital. The truck driver and his passenger were both treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
We are so sorry for the loss of these two women. This sort of accident can happen to anyone at any age of course. In fact, the Florida’s Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports the 2008 crash statistics show that the crash rates for people over the age of 65 are lower than for people under the age of 40.
What can adult children do? Someone with an unsafe parent driver can confidentially report them to the department. In 2008 there were 7,677 referrals in all. The state can ask someone to take an eye exam or a medical exam. Or the person could be asked to retake the driver test. Younger people can be reported too, but generally seniors are the ones reported.
Oftentimes, the elder driver will realize they need to give up their license, even though we live in a car culture and it puts them at a distinct disadvantage. Loneliness, isolation and depression can accompany the decision to give up a license. Our communities are not set up to accommodate someone without a car, and Americans have a different approach to caring for elders than the Europeans do.
If someone you know needs a ride, give them one. It’s as simple as that. After all, if you are lucky, one day you'll be there too.