Fell et al. argues that “implementing a federal requirement for states to mandatory examine older drivers is the key to end road carnage(424” .Fatal crashes for older drivers are significantly different to those of other age groups. Drivers aged 70 in most instances intersection crashes are common while driving given that, the older driver is turning right across traffic and accidents where the older driver drives off the road (Fell et al. 423-431). It is essential for old drivers to have a medical examination each year so that to retain their license. As elderly drivers reach 70 years of age, their rate of fatal crashes, as well as accidents, increase and sometimes transcend levels of the young drivers (Fell et al. 423-431). Therefore, implementing a federal requirement for states to mandatory examine older drivers annually through eye examination testing and renewal of the license is ideally relevant.
Older drivers pose less risk to other motorists outside of their vehicle as compared to less experienced drivers do. As a point of fact, the risk of crash involvement increases somewhat after the motorists attain an average age of seventy and in the event of the accident the risk of injury or death increases sharply beyond this age range. Several states have attempted to implement a federal requirement to address these risks through laws as well as policies related to driver license renewal, but there is little evidence regarding the effectiveness of such policies (Kiesbye52). The concerns about driving ability have necessitated the implementation of a federal requirement for states to require mandatory eye examination to pass a vision test for drivers and annual renewal of the license. Even with considerable interest by various stakeholders in finding the solutions and safety of older drivers through mechanisms such as the eye test and driver licensing system, results suggest that the security impacts of driver licensing laws and policies for older drivers are sufficient.
First, mandatory license renewal is ideally a crucial aspect which is connected with noteworthy reductions in lethal accidents rates for older drivers. Implementing a federal requirement will in one way or the other eliminate unsafe older drivers from the driving population so that to reduce high rates of lethal accidents rates for drivers with higher ages. Increasing the frequency of license renewals and the requirement for older drivers to pass an eye test examination were associated with scientific study results that are imperative for reducing mortal crash tolls. There is a correlation connecting driver licensing regulations and eye exam test as well as crash involvement rates. The process requires every other renewal license to be conducted in person.
Secondly,the statistical analysis based on the implementation of the federal requirement for states to require mandatory eye examination test and annual driver license renewal for older drivers was studied using research based scientific regression (Fell et al. 423-431). This concept managed to determine that age group is a factor that results in fatal crashes in each quarter of the year in each state. This policy enables differentiation between the associations of change in laws with changes in rates of fatal crashes in states that merely happen to have various laws.
Sources suggest that the implementation of this policy ideally will enhance safety in most countries (Fell et al. 423-431). The renewal of driver license in states at multiple times for the older drivers reduced the incidences of accidents across the globe. Similarly, implementing this federal requirement requires every license renewal to be conducted in person whereby older drivers were more likely than younger drivers for every renewal. It is evident that most states have adopted this policy requiring drivers aged 70 years to pass a vision test to minimize fatal crashes among people (Fell et al. 423-431). Truly it is possible that vision testing and renewal license annually is an effective way of reducing fatal accidents involvement rates of older drivers. It's therefore of paramount for the states to implement this policy requiring older drivers to interact with licensing authorities more frequently so that to reduce the prevalence of unsafe drivers on the road as well as decrease overall crash rates.
In relation to the above arguments, in a single-state study conducted in Florida indicates that fatal crash involvements of drivers aged 70 and older dropped by 17 percent after the implementation of mandatory vision testing examination as well as license renewal for drivers (Fell et al. 423-431). However, implementing this requirement has improved safety. Shortening the renewal period of the grants to a minimum of annually might decrease rates of fatal crashes for elderly drivers. Of course modeling of these federal requirements in different states, sometimes in different forms, at different times is ideally very complex. Significantly, implementing this mandatory requirement helps to reduce fatal crashes caused by older drivers (Levy 1026-1030). It will help in reducing accidents caused by the elderly drivers.
Some states implemented the federal laws and policies of mandatory renewal licenses in a unique manner given the fact that they required the drivers to pass first a knowledge test to renew their driving license (Robertson and Zador 959-965). The results from this strategy indicate that they required gaining further insight into how to drive efficiently and more. The policy requiring older drivers to renew their driving license as well as pass the eye examination test has associated with reduced population-based fatal crash involvements rates. As a point of fact, this policy has helped most states to identify as well as determine unsafe drivers from the driving population. Central to such an endeavor, renewal of a license might lead to voluntary driving cessation among some older drivers. Interestingly, implementing of this policy could substantially contribute to the familiarity of the mechanisms by which policies impact older drivers by probing mobility outcomes.
Similarly, mandatory implementation of a federal requirement significantly reduces fatal crash involvement rates for older drivers (Levy 1026-1030). States that required older drivers to pass a vision test when renewing their license indicates that the cases of fatal crashes have reduced tremendously. The policies associated to prevent fatal crashed caused by older drivers in population-based involvement accidents (Levy 1026-1030). This safety benefit associates with more frequent license renewal and the aspect of passing a knowledge-based test. Moreover, the mechanism of renewal of license annually and give eye examination test influences the incidents of an accident.
Moreover, the older driver licensing and the eye testing system is designed to balance the safety of road users as well as the general community with the continuing independence along with mobility of older drivers (Braitman, Chaudhary and McCartt 451-456). In addition to annual eye testing examination, the general health of the older drivers is also an aspect of consideration. As a point of fact, for all roads to be safe there is a need to have a combination of medical examination and a good understating of the rules and regulations of the road as well as a good ability to make quick judgments about road use and safety of the car. The practical assessment of older drivers will help the authorities to determine essential skills to safe driving. Many fatal crashes caused by older drivers are due to poor gap selection (Robertson and Zador 959-965). Older drivers experience problems whenever they enter traffic, change lanes, cross at an intersection due to lack of critical decisions and sometimes vision problem.
Furthermore, studies have shown that annual mandatory eye testing examination and renewal of license by the older drivers has become one of the most complicated issues in most states globally (Levy 1026-1030). It is evident that prevention is better than cure accidents among older drivers have reduced significantly through the implementation of the policies. For instance, it is a driving rule in California that specifically target senior drivers that after age 70, they must renew their license annually (Robertson and Zador 959-965). A hook-statistics conducted in four states namely Illinois, New Hampshire, Iowa as well as Kansas indicate that each state fatal crash was common in older drivers. For instance, the research conducted and data collected as follows.
Figure 1 Emphasis States: Crashes per 1,000 licensed drivers
Figure 1 above shows the crashes per 1,000 licensed drivers for the four states and how the implementation of the policy for states to require mandatory requirement of annual driver license renewal and eye testing examination when they reach 70 years of age. From the hook-statistics analysis, Illinois state and New Hampshire had a different crash rate pattern as compared with other states given the fact that drivers around age 70 had a high rate of fatal crashes. This indicates that the implementation of the policy is essential.
Figure 2 Comparison States: Crashes per 1,000 licensed drivers
Figure 2 above Missouri shows a slight increase in crash rates per licensed older drivers and the increase was not as pronounced as for the three emphasis states. The analysis reveals that the States showing crash increase trend particularly to the older age had a much lower percentage of population licensed. Substantially, some states had more licensed drivers as compared to the population for the same age groups suggesting that the data contains considerable bias. According to the analysis above, implementation of a federal requirement for states for mandatory eye examination and annual renewal driver license when they reach 70 years old is of great importance.
The criteria used to evaluate older drivers vary from one state to the other which includes road tests, in-person renewal and shorter renewal periods.
Figure 3 Emphasis States: Crashes per 1,000 populations
Figure 4 Comparison States: Crashes per 1,000 populations
Figure 3 & 4 provides plots of the crash rates necessitated from older drivers. The crash rates show similar patterns across all states with the crashes per 1,000 populations continuing a downward trend with age. Driver fatalities at age 70 were of particular interest for the Illinois and New Hampshire cities. Overall, the data collected indicates that implementation of licensing practices in the special emphasis States were fair, reasonable given the fact that they improved safety not only to the old drivers but also to the general public. Contrary to what some might expect from the statistical analysis, older drivers in the special emphasis States provided no evidence that they were treated unfairly through the implementation of the federal requirement to examine them as well as renew their licenses annually. As a point of fact, the old drivers in most states in the figure above understood that the aging process had the potential to compromise their driving ability as well as safety of other people they encounter while driving. Ideally, the old drivers appeared willing to comply with the set rules and regulation so that to reduce the instances of accident occurrences.
The states analyzed above, the category of special emphasis States were Illinois, Iowa, Kansas as well as the New Hampshire. Evidently, the states were selected because they have a special policy based on the implementation of the federal requirements of older drivers require mandatory eye testing and annual driver license. Therefore, the licensing procedures of each state and how they apply the policy is as follows.
The implementation of the mandatory eye testing and renewal of license for many aged drivers who possess the ability to drive help them to take care of oneself and the quality of life (Cicchino and McCartt 44-54). It is evident that older drivers resist attempts to evaluate their driving abilities which in other words lead to intense fighting and resentment. The ability to drive has been linked to cognitive, emotional as well as physical well-being (Cicchino 67). The implementation of the policy is perceived that the old drivers can decide to cease driving if they are putting themselves or others at a significant risk.
The screening process of older drivers basically on the eye examination and the ability to drive can be conducted by therapist or physician in a number of ways. The driver’s capability is determined through a road test whereby an agency may administer vision, cognitive as well as psychomotor tests to assess the reaction time and the aptitude to multitask (Tefft ). As a fact, cognitive along with psychomotor tests may be useful in assessing the abilities of the older drivers.
Perhaps the most striking thing is that the implementation of the policy in one way or the other affected the older drivers. Despite the fact that the system helped to reduce the chances of fatal accidents, the old drivers continue to suffer financially since that might be the only source of income ( Coughlin and Lisa 89; schaie 172). The policy limited their driving experiences substantially. Similarly, the eye test and the renewal of the license annually may embolden older drivers as well as convince them to drive more thereby increasing their exposure to fatal crashes. However, the application of these policies should be reasonably scientific as well as operational interest to each party. The approaches to the licensing and testing, in fact, provided the opportunity to explore the capability of the older drivers. This concept enabled them to be careful while driving to minimize accidents caused by poor vision.
Conclusion
Most of the drivers supported the mandatory eye test and renewal of license annually for older drivers. Overall, the aged drivers were satisfied with the license process and eye test examination given the fact that it helped to reduce fatal crashes caused by older drivers. Ideally, the only issue that came up was degradation of vision as well as reflexes and the drivers did not feel that they had a major limitation that would affect their driving safety. On the other hand, most of the old drivers indicated that the implementation of the eye test and annual renewal of the license has an impact on their lives. Most of the drivers indicate that preventing them from driving would have a negative impact on their lives and the lives of their families. Therefore, the implementation of the policy had both negative effects as well as positive effects.
Work cited
Braitman, Keli A., Neil K. Chaudhary, and Anne T. McCartt. "Effect Of Passenger Presence On Older Drivers’ Risk Of Fatal Crash Involvement". Traffic Injury Prevention 15.5 (2014): 451-456. Web.
Cicchino, Jessica B. "Why Have Fatality Rates Among Older Drivers Declined? The Relative Contributions Of Changes In Survivability And Crash Involvement". Accident Analysis & Prevention 83 (2015): 67-73. Web.
Cicchino, Jessica B. and Anne T. McCartt. "Trends In Older Driver Crash Involvement Rates And Survivability In The United States: An Update". Accident Analysis & Prevention 72 (2014): 44-54. Web.
Coughlin, Joseph F, and Lisa A. D'Ambrosio. Aging America and Transportation: Personal Choices and Public Policy. New York: Springer Pub. Co, 2012. Internet resource.
Fell, James C. et al. "An Evaluation Of Graduated Driver Licensing Effects On Fatal Crash Involvements Of Young Drivers In The United States". Traffic Injury Prevention 12.5 (2011): 423-431. Web.
Kiesbye, Stefan. Distracted Driving. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Print.
Levy, D. T. "Relationship Between Driver's License Renewal Policies And Fatal Crashes Involving Drivers 70 Years Or Older". JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association 274.13 (1995): 1026-1030. Web.
Robertson, L S and P L Zador. "Driver Education And Fatal Crash Involvement Of Teenaged Drivers.". Am J Public Health 68.10 (1978): 959-965. Web.
Schaie, K W. Aging Independently: Living Arrangements and Mobility. New York: Springer Pub, 2003. Print.
Tefft, Brian C. "Driver License Renewal Policies And Fatal Crash Involvement Rates Of Older Drivers, United States, 1986–2011". Inj. Epidemiol. 1.1 (2014): n. pag. Web. 21 Apr. 2016.
Expertly Written Argumentative Essay On Claim Of Policy To Follow
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