But older drivers' fatal accident rates based on miles driven is higher than any age group except teen-agers. Based on estimated annual travel, the fatality rate for drivers over 65 is 17 times as high as the rate for drivers ages 25 to 65, according 1996 DOT figures, the latest available. And most traffic deaths involving older drivers occur during daylight hours. In an accident, older drivers are more likely to die than younger ones because their bones are more brittle and recovery time is slower. Along with the vision and hearing changes of aging, reaction time slows and speed and distance become more difficult to judge.
Older drivers are more likely to get confused in heavy traffic and to misunderstand road signs.
During the recent class Harrington taught at Presbyterian Hospital in Matthews, he showed a video on the effects of vision changes on driving. In one scene, a camera was mounted at eye-level on the driver's side of a car while lights dimmed at either edge of the screen to simulate the loss of peripheral vision that occurs with age. But Harrington assured her and the rest of his students that with practice,they could learn to safely compensate for many of the changes aging brings. And by completing courses like the one sponsored by the AARP, N.C. residents are eligible for discounts on car insurance premiums from some insurance companies. In South Carolina, state law requires all auto insurers to give premium discounts to graduates of state-approved accident avoidance courses for older drivers.