Letter: In defense of older drivers
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
My 94-year-old father just had his yearly eye exam to enable him to continue to carry a driver’s license and drive a car. He has never had an accident in his years of driving truck, nor after retirement. I recently watched him handily park his SUV in a narrow garage, to perfection.
Insurance companies require very high premiums for young drivers, because statistics show that they are the most dangerous drivers on the road and most likely to cause a fatal accident. I am more concerned about the fast driver whose reaction time isn’t fast enough for the conditions, than the slower one who knows their reaction time is reduced and allows for it.
Young drivers are much more likely to run red lights in their rush to get somewhere, than elderly folks who have time to spare and a desire to follow the law.
I recently watched a young driver swerve in and out of traffic on a freeway, at a much higher speed than the posted 75 miles per hour. As he crossed in front of another car to turn off at an exit ramp, he lost control and disappeared in a cloud of dust over the embankment, rolling the vehicle as he went. I’ll choose the older driver, any day.
Carol Levanen
YACOLT
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