Elderly Driving

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When people get older, they suffer from mental and physical ailments that hinder their ability to engage in certain activities that young people take for granted, like driving. Driving requires a sharp mind and good vision, and as people get older, these things deteriorate. Doctors have noted that this happens at around the age of 70. Therefore, I think people should be required to stop driving at the age of 70. First, elderly people suffer from mental ailments, like dementia, that lead to accidents when they drive. For example, a few years ago, a car plowed through a busy shopping center killing a few people and injuring several others. The driver of this car was an old man who suffered from dementia. He had no idea where he was going, which …show more content…

So, if he had been required to stop driving at the first signs of his illness, — which was brought on by old age — all these people wouldn't have had to suffer. While dementia doesn't affect all elderly people, it is common for older people to become more forgetful. Some elderly people get lost because they forget where they're driving to. For example, there was a story in the news about an elderly couple who didn't know where they were going, so they used the car's global positioning system (GPS). They relied so much on the GPS that they didn't realize they were driving on a dirt road, and then off a cliff. So, using the car's computer systems require a level of sophistication and savvy that elderly people lack, either due to degradation of their mental states or through their unwillingness to learn. Lastly, elderly people suffer from physical problems that cause them to get into accidents when they drive, such as deteriorating vision. Good vision is one of the most important things required for driving safely, but is also something that gets worse as people get older. Glaucoma is a condition that hinders eyesight, and it is most common among elderly

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