Seven Injured in Georgia Collision with Wrong-Way Elderly Driver

By Grant Law Office on January 10, 2013

Seven people, including a 10-year-old boy from Boone, were injured in a wrong-way crash on the Interstate 95 in Savannah, Georgia. According to an Associated Press news report, the injury collision occurred when an elderly driver went south in the northbound lanes of the freeway and collided with an SUV carrying members of the same family. The elderly driver turned his 2007 Buick Lucerne left across the freeway trying to get to an exit and crashed into a Honda Pilot at the entry to the ramp. All seven people in the two vehicles were hurt. The investigation into this collision is still ongoing.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 33 million licensed drivers in the United States who were 65 or older in 2009. An average of 500 seniors are injured in car accidents every day nationwide. For each mile traveled, fatal crash rates increase starting at age 75 and increase significantly after age 80. This is largely due to the fact that older adults are susceptible to injury and medical complications. Age-related declines in vision and cognitive functioning as well as physical changes may affect some older adults’ driving abilities.

There are several steps Georgia car accident lawyers would advise older adults to take in order to avoid getting into a car accident, including exercising regularly, which can help seniors increase their strength and flexibility. Both over-the-counter and prescription medications must be reviewed by the senior driver’s doctor to ensure that there are no side effects or interactions. Elderly drivers must get their vision checked at least once a year and must wear corrective lenses as required.

Drivers would also be well advised not to venture out in the dark or during inclement weather and always plan their routes before getting on the road. It also helps to avoid distractions. If the elderly driver is not healthy or able to drive, he or she should consider alternatives to driving such as riding with a friend or using public transportation.