Canada” Study will evaluate the effect of aging on driving
A new study is about to put Canadian seniors through a battery of tests to determine the effects of aging on older drivers.
“Mostolder people are excellent drivers,” says Dr. Sylvain Gagnon, ascientist who is part of The Elisabeth Bruyere Research Institute andhelping to co-ordinate the project. “They know what to expect when theyare on the road.”
But older drivers can be hampered by pooreyesight, slower responses, changes in perception, medical problems andthe many distractions that come with modern cars.
And while seniors have years of driving experience, they are more likely to die from injuries suffered in automobile accidents because of their body’s inability to recover as quickly as a younger driver’s.
In Canada, drivers 65 and older account for 15.4 per cent of auto fatalities, according to Transport Canada. The highest proportion is in the 25-to-34 age group, at 17.5 per cent.