Car accidents increase as drivers grow older

South Carolina residents who are entering their golden years may want to exercise a little more caution when they get behind the steering wheels in their cars. Statistics have shown senior drivers are more at risk to be killed in car accidents than younger drivers.

There were almost 36 million licensed drivers aged 65 and up in the United States in 2012. On an average day across the country, 15 seniors will be killed and another 586 injured in motor vehicle accidents. That amounts to 5,560 older drivers killed and 214,000 injured in car crashes every year. The number of fatal car accidents involving elderly drivers grows as the drivers get older on a per mile traveled basis.

Many elderly motorists already recognize this and, on their own initiative, start to curtail their driving. They may quit driving at night or when the weather is bad, and they are more apt to wear their seat belts than younger drivers. They may also decrease their chances of being in car accidents by having annual eye exams, keeping themselves in good physical condition, planning their routes before their trips begin, and paying close attention to the road, such as not following too close or becoming distracted with text messages.

Driving allows seniors to be mobile and to live independently. Driving long after it is time to quit, however, can result in tragic consequences from an accident caused by a negligent driver. Injured victims of car accidents may want to seek compensation through a personal injury claim filed with the assistance of an attorney against the responsible party.