Elderly drivers at higher risk for crashes, expert says

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- At the age of 68, Richard McDaniel drives quite a bit, especially to get to his volunteer job at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, but he avoids the freeways.

"People are driving so fast now, I just kind of lay back. I don't know if I'm more of a hazard or not a hazard," he said.

Studies show elderly drivers are not only at an increased risk for a car accident, but that as their memory declines they may get confused or lost on the road.

Dr. Armand Dorian, a medical consultant at Verdugo Hills Hopsital, said the elderly sometimes can't react fast enough in an accident.

"Almost always when you discuss the accident with the driver they know exactly what was happening, they just couldn't react in time because of the problem," he said.

Patrick Baker, an occupational therapist at the Cleveland Clinic, said people can often get confused driving around, even in an area they've lived in their entire lives.

He said when an elderly driver gets confused they often look for something familiar, but can end up hours away from home.

"Simply going in a different direction from what you're accustomed to may make it really difficult to understand where (the driver is) going and now (they) can't figure out how to route-play to get back to where (they) need to go," he said.

He recommends concerned loved ones should ride along with their parent or grandparent and pay attention to how well they can read street signs, stick to a route plan and stop at lights. If problems are detected, it might be time to evaluate the driver's abilities.

Dorian adds that elderly drivers need to figure out ways to maintain their ability to drive and there should be better tools to help them, such as automotive technology that helps drivers park their vehicles and change lanes.

McDaniel said driving is his lifeline to the world and that he hopes to continue driving for a long time.

"At least until (I am) 80, at least," he said.