Lazarus Law Florida Personal Injury and Family Law Blog

The debate over driver testing for seniors in Florida has recently resurfaced. One out of every five drivers in the state is over the age of 65 and that number is expected to increase as the nation’s population ages. Currently, elderly Florida drivers are not required to take a driving test when renewing their license. Due to a high elderly driver collision rate, some believe this should be changed.

Approximately 15 percent of the fatal motor vehicle accidents that occurred in Florida in 2010 involved a driver over the age of 65. Last weekend, a woman was killed in Delray by an 89-year-old driver who backed into her in a parking lot. Another woman died in Deerfield Beach after she was hit while walking on a sidewalk and dragged across a church property by an 88-year-old-driver. Tragic accidents such as these often inspire a public call for additional senior driver testing.

The State of Illinois requires seniors to submit to a road test when renewing their driver’s license. In Texas, drivers over the age of 79 are required to renew their license in person. Eight other states also require elderly drivers to renew in person beginning anywhere between age 69 to 75. As the baby boomer generation ages the debate over elderly driver certification will likely continue. Florida is one of 40 states which require vision testing for senior drivers. Driving tests, however, are not required.

According to Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there is no concrete proof elderly driver regulations reduce accident rates. She said although a recently conducted study suggested in person driver’s license renewal requirements for seniors may lower collision rates, other evidence was decidedly mixed. McCartt also stated Florida drivers over the age of 80 had a lower accident rate than those in the 15 to 34 age range in 2010.

The AARP has publicly opposed any age-based driver testing standard. The lobbying organization has instead advocated for promotion of Florida’s medical-review program. The program allows citizens, police officers, and doctors to report dangerous drivers as well as drivers who were diagnosed with an illness which may impair their ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Once a driver is reported, state licensing agents determine whether to administer a road test. The organization also expressed support for in person license renewal requirements for all drivers.

Some, such as Representative Irv Slosberg of Boca Raton, believe the safety focus should be on teenaged drivers rather than seniors as elderly drivers rarely speed or text behind the wheel of a car. Still, reliable crash rates can be difficult to obtain since senior citizens tend to drive fewer miles per year than younger drivers. Most agree, however, a bright lane driving age cut-off is unnecessary.
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The Florida Highway Patrol will be on the lookout for aggressive drivers this week. According to state law, an aggressive driver is someone who commits two violations such as following too closely, speeding, making unsafe lane changes, failing to yield, passing improperly, and running stop lights or signs at the same time. Additional State Troopers will be dispatched to major state roads such as Florida’s Turnpike and interstates 75, 95, and 595 this week to combat aggressive driving.

By stepping up enforcement, the Highway Patrol seeks to reduce or eliminate the number of collisions between passenger vehicles and commercial trucks such as 18-wheelers. According to the law enforcement agency, 88 percent of such crashes result from driver choices and behavior. Meanwhile, only 12 percent are caused by road conditions and motor vehicle defects. In 2010, Florida law enforcement officers ticketed 23,180 aggressive drivers. That number was almost 20,000 more tickets than were issued in 2003.

The Florida Highway Patrol is also seeking to reduce accidents by using educational tools such as roadside billboards and radio spots. Drivers are also being warned to take safety precautions such as ensuring they stay out of a commercial truck’s blind spots. In 2010, approximately 10 percent of all traffic deaths in Florida resulted from crashes between semi-trucks and passenger cars.

Florida Trucking Association Road Team driver Frank Silio believes most drivers are not trying to be unsafe, but do not fully realize the amount of time it takes for an 18-wheeler to stop when traveling at interstate speeds. He stated at 50 miles per hour it can take more than 100 yards to stop due to the truck’s weight. Silio and 22 other Road Team drivers work with the Florida Highway Patrol to educate drivers about safe driving near 18-wheelers. He believes drivers ought to be more cognizant of a commercial truck’s large blind spots and allows individuals to sit in his cab during educational events in order to see the road from a truck driver’s perspective.

Folks in Florida spend a great deal of time in their automobiles each year. Unsafe or distracted drivers are a hazard to everyone on the road. Aggressive driving can lead to major injuries and death. An individual who is hurt in an automobile accident due to someone else’s negligence may be eligible to receive compensation for medical bills, disability, pain, suffering, lost earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life and other damages. If you or a loved one was hurt in a motor vehicle collision, a qualified car accident attorney can help you evaluate your case.
Read more “Florida Highway Patrol on the Lookout for Aggressive Drivers”