Older Americans today are healthier and more active than ever before. Aging baby boomers are the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S. By 2030, there will be more than 70 million people ages 65 and older, and approximately 85 percent to 90 percent of them will be licensed to drive.
Senior drivers are among the safest drivers on the road, but they are also more likely to be injured or killed in a crash because of age-related fragility. With the exception of teenagers, seniors have the highest crash death rate per mile driven.
Although seniors are healthier and living longer than ever before, they are also outliving their ability to drive safely by an average of seven to 10 years. Because of this, it is critical that senior drivers and their families plan for “driving retirement,” which is similar to planning for financial retirement.
Nearly 83 percent of older drivers report never speaking about their safe-driving ability to a family member or doctor, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Of the small percentage of families who do have a conversation, 15 percent do so after a crash or traffic infraction has occurred.
AAA recommends older drivers and their families start communicating about safe driving early. “The right time to stop driving varies for everyone,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “This research shows that older drivers can be hesitant to initiate conversations about their driving capabilities, so it is important that families talk early and often. With early discussion and proper planning, elderly drivers may extend their time on the road.”
It’s grilling season! But before firing up your grill, consider some important information and tips from AAA for safe summer barbecues.
For the first time, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare will be able to negotiate the prices of prescription drugs. The negotiations with participating drug companies will occur in 2023 and 2024, and any negotiated prices will become effective beginning in 2026.
It began with a meeting on Nov. 5, 1947. Six AAA board members and staff huddled at Washington, D.C.’s famed Mayflower Hotel to forge something new. One of AAA’s primary missions since its founding in 1902 is keeping roadways safe. With the surge in people and cars in the United States during that time, AAA knew it would need to expand its traffic safety efforts.
AAA recommends advice given by medical and pharmacy professionals regarding medications and driving be vastly improved and more consistently emphasized to maximize safety.
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