A Fort Worth car accident lawyer reveals the warning signs
As people age, our good driving skills tend to naturally decline. This often makes our odds of getting into a car accident go up.
When elders who can no longer drive safely choose to get behind the wheel, they endanger the lives of themselves and others.
In Fort Worth, car accidents involving senior drivers have led to others suffering concussions and traumatic brain injuries, serious head and neck injuries, facial injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, internal organ damage, and numerous other severe injuries.
In fact, a Texas A&M study found a sharp increase in fatal crashes among drivers ages 80 and older. Accidents involving elderly drivers are often due to their failure to yield the right of way or misjudging intersection traffic, researchers say.
Poor eyesight, reduced hearing, slowed reaction time, and stiff muscles and joints are just some of the factors that may contribute to an increased risk of car accidents among drivers age 80 and older.
5 signs it may be time for your senior loved one to stop driving
The job of getting elderly drivers off the road before they cause a bad car accident often falls to family members.
It can be hard to tell when a person has become too old to drive, but the following are some signs it may be time to discuss giving up driving with an elderly loved one:
- Traffic tickets and car insurance changes. If their driving seems off, ask your older loved one whether they have gotten any tickets lately for speeding or other violations. You can also ask about their insurance rates. If they have gone up, it may be due to a ticket or accident.
- Exterior car damage. If you notice new scrapes and dents on their vehicle, it may be due to driving mishaps.
- Doesn't want to drive. An elderly loved one who seems reluctant to drive, complains about night blindness and getting lost, or seems tired after driving may be aware of their failing skills and ready to stop driving altogether.
- Observations of friends and neighbors. When neighbors and friends approach you to tell you they are concerned about your loved one's driving, it is often for a good reason.
- Driving habits. When you're in the car with them while they are driving, do they seem tense? Are they leaning into the windshield to get a better look at the road? Did they remember to wear a safety belt? Are they tailgating the car in front? Do they confuse the gas pedal with the brake pedal? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, it may be time for your elder loved one to give up their drivers' license.
Injured in a car wreck? Call Coby Wooten.
Age is no excuse for causing a bad car accident that injures or kills someone else. If you were injured or a loved one died in an accident caused by an older driver, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses. But even though auto insurance companies are capable of paying you the money you need and deserve, insurance adjusters care more about protecting profits than making you whole again. As such, it's common for them to make lowball settlement offers in hopes of settling claims as quickly and cheaply as possible.
That's not right. That's why you need an experienced Fort Worth car accident attorney who will look out for your best interests and won't let an insurance company push you around. At Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law P.C., we can take care of all the hard stuff while you focus on getting your health back.
Let us fight for a fair settlement and the compensation you're entitled to. To learn more about your legal rights and options, contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation.