5-Year Plan Addresses Highway Safety for the Elderly

December 11, 2013

The risks of being involved in a motor vehicle collision are a serious danger for the elderly. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 5,560 motorists over the age of 65-years-old were killed and another 214,000 were injured in vehicle accidents just last year. The New York Car Accident Lawyers with William Mattar Law Offices explain that federal officials recently announced the implementation of new guidelines to regulate the operation of vehicles by elderly drivers.

According to an NHTSA Press Release, the agency has created a five-year plan, which has goals ranging from improvement of vehicle safety to correcting dangerous driver behavior. These programs will include developing and nurturing proficient technology that will allow vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. Furthermore, officials plan to create educational programs that address physical changes drivers may experience with age that can affect the ability to safety operate vehicles.

The agency also announced intentions to beef up its data collection methods in order to improve the information that is being gathered. This will include studies on how age-related conditions can affect a person’s ability to drive.

William Mattar and his team of New York Personal Injury Lawyers applaud the government’s efforts to improve highway safety and are hopeful the program is a success!