PITTSBURGH ELDERLY DRIVER CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY

If you have ever driven a car in Pittsburgh or elsewhere in Pennsylvania, you might have noticed that the number of elderly drivers behind the wheel has been increasing by the year. In fact, the number of elderly drivers in the U.S. is set to increase in the next decade.

Fact: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there will be about 10 million senior American citizens aged 85 and older by 2030, a whopping 73-percent increase in the elder population from 2018.

Fact #2: Currently, there are roughly 30 million Americans aged 65 and older who have a valid driver’s license.

“Elderly drivers in the U.S. have the same duties of care while operating a vehicle as their younger counterparts, which is why you may be able to seek compensation from a senior citizen if he or she failed to exercise reasonable care while driving a vehicle,” says a Pittsburgh elderly driver car accident attorney at Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman.

In fact, if you have been injured in a car accident involving a senior citizen 65 years or older, it makes sense to investigate whether that person should have been allowed to drive at all.

THE RISK OF GETTING INTO A CAR ACCIDENT INVOLVING ELDERLY DRIVERS

Although many Americans assume – often, wrongly – that elderly drivers are more cautious when operating a vehicle and are more likely to follow traffic rules and follow the speed limit, the risk of getting into an auto accident caused by a senior citizen behind the wheel is actually very high.

Unfortunately, nobody can stop aging and its adverse effects on our health. It’s no secret that with age come medical conditions and disorders that make it more difficult to stay focused on the road, be able to maintain one’s reaction times, remain vigilant and cautious while driving, and maintain one’s judgement and effective decision-making.

In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the likelihood of being in a fatal car accident begins increasing after an individual reaches the age of 70. In case you were wondering, the risk is at its highest after a driver reaches the age of 85.

CAUSES OF ELDERLY DRIVER CAR ACCIDENTS IN PENNSYLVANIA

But why do elderly drivers cause car crashes if so many of us believe that senior citizens are more likely to be cautious and attentive drivers who follow traffic laws? Our experienced elderly driver car accident attorney in Pittsburgh explains that there are quite a few aging-related medical conditions responsible for motor vehicle collisions involving Americans aged 65 and older include:

• Inability to stay focused on the road, remain vigilant, and maintain one’s executive functioning due to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or depression;
• Vision problems that get worse with age, including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes complications, macular degeneration; and
• Arthritis, muscle weakness, diabetes complications, or Multiple Sclerosis, all of which affect an individual’s mobility and movement.

While it is true that elderly drivers are more likely to follow the speed limit when driving, driving far below the speed limit – something that many senior citizens are known for doing – can be just as bad. In fact, other causes of car accidents involving elderly drivers include:

• Driving through a red light;
• Failure to notice a stop sign or traffic light;
• Abruptly slamming on the brakes;
• Tailgating or failing to maintain a safe distance between vehicles;
• Wrong-way driving;
• Failure to yield the right of way;
• Making unsafe or illegal lane switches; and
• Getting distracted by one’s GPS or cell phone.

After being injured in a car accident involving an elderly driver, one of the first things you can do to prove negligence is to hire a Pittsburgh elderly-related car accident lawyer to investigate whether or not that person should have been driving at all. This will include looking into the driver’s physical and mental capabilities and conditions by reviewing medical records, accident reports, testimony from witnesses, and many more.

Hire one of our best car accident lawyers in Pennsylvania by contacting Shenderovich, Shenderovich & Fishman. Do not hesitate to schedule a free consultation by calling at 888-98-TWINS(89467).