A Massachusetts mother and her one-year-old daughter had to be taken to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries sustained after a 93-year-old driver rode his car into a Danvers Wal-Mart on Tuesday. According to police, the driver may have intended to step on the brake but instead placed his foot on the gas pedal. Four other people, including the driver’s 90-year-old wife, were taken to the hospital following the Danvers car accident. The three other victims were suffering from shock following the incident.
The car, which entered through the store entrance, struck two cash register stations.
Senior Drivers
According to Helpguide.org, senior drivers are at higher risk than younger drivers of becoming involved in multi-vehicle car accidents. Of course, it is important not to generalize, as there are many senior drivers that can drive safely and capably well into their golden years. It is also important to note that a senior injured in a car crash is more likely than younger persons to sustain injuries that could prove fatal. The deadly crash rate for a driver in his or her 70’s increases dramatically.
Factors of Aging that Can Impair Driving Include:
• Failed vision • Loss of hearing • Slower reflexes • Limited mobility • Health conditions, such as Parkinson’s, rheumatoid arthritis, or sleep apnea • Impairment caused by medication • Drowsy driving • Dementia
With more people living longer these days-by 2050, one out of five Americans is expected to be age 65 or older-the number of senior drivers in Boston and on other roads throughout Massachusetts is likely to grow. However, there may come a time in an elderly person’s life when it is time to stop driving or risk causing injury or death to others.
Mother and baby injured as car crashes into Danvers Wal-Mart, Boston.com, June 2, 2009
Senior Citizen Driving, Helpguide.org
Related Web Resources:
Senior Drivers, Insurance Information Institute
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles
Please contact our Boston personal injury law firm about your Massachusetts car accident case.