Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Elderly Driver Dies in Crash after Suffering from Medical Condition

The issue on whether or not elderly drivers must be allowed to drive has become a focus of many discussions as more and more older people are getting involved in serious and fatal accidents. Although they should not be discriminated due to their age, it is safe to say that their driving skills are diminished and impaired once they start to feel the various signs of aging, and therefore may lead to accidents.

A male elderly driver recently died after his truck swerved off Interstate 80 in Roseville and went into a construction area. The accident reportedly occurred near Highway 65 at around 4:30 a.m.

According to the Placer County Coroner’s Office, the crash occurred because the man suffered from a medical condition while behind the wheel. It turned out that he was not able to control the vehicle because he was not physically fit do so.

Reports said the man was rushed to Sutter Roseville Medical Center, where he unfortunately died.

The truck did not sustain major damage. It was the only vehicle involved in the crash.

The accident did not affect the traffic flow along the freeway.

Hopefully, this incident will show how dangerous it is for old people to drive a vehicle. Aging really affects a person’s body. Here are some of the usual signs and effects of aging:

• Poor eyesight
• Slower reflexes
• Fatigue or sleepiness
• Heart problems
• Hearing problems

An elderly driver should refrain from driving once he starts to feel these signs. If he wants to travel, he should ask someone else to drive for him in order to avoid an accident.