DELAWARE- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) is encouraging older drivers to be extra cautious on roadways. NHTSA says that things like not being able to react as quickly to changes and a change in vision could raise safety concerns for driving.
According to Delaware State Police 4,786 drivers 65 and older were in a crash in 2021 and 40 of those drivers were involved in deadly crashes.
For Lewes in particular, there is a variety of reasons elderly drivers get in accidents, "Reaction time is a big one. Speed, perception of vehicles coming towards them or of their vehicle themselves and their ability to stop," said Lewes Police Chief Tom Spell. "Turning and backing radiuses is also a big one with our senior drivers, they just lose that ability to perceive."
Car Salesman, Bryan Hecksher, said that his elderly customers are putting safety at the top of their priorities when getting a new car, "Back up cameras, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, all of it becomes significant in purchasing a vehicle."
Chief Spell said many accidents involving elderly drivers in the area are caused by a failure to properly perceive distances, but there are many resources to help identify these problems before they become the reason for a car crash.
For more information on where to get a driving screening for yourself or a family member, you can visit aarp.org or nhtsa.org.