Regarding the Nov. 20 article "Fatal accident costs driver, 84, her license for a year": As a certified driver rehabilitation specialist, this unfortunate accident did not surprise me. Accidents involving older drivers will become more commonplace as our society ages. Americans are living longer, but everyone at some point will endure the effects of aging on our mobility, vision, cognition and reaction times.
These changes can be seen as early as our 40s, but given the many variables of a person's health and heredity, there is no magic age that a person becomes an unsafe driver.
Medical issues and medications have the potential to negatively influence our abilities to safely carry out our daily activities, including driving. The AAA and AARP organizations have literature on warning signs for older driving safety. Ideally, conversations about driving cessation with family members and/or health care professionals should occur prior to any observed difficulties.
