As a health reporter, I have to follow many studies so I can stay on top of the latest research. The best part of this self-education is reading some of the weird stuff going on in academia. From time to time, I do a column on research about “Silly Science.” Here's another…
An Australian study found that seniors tend to drive more dangerously than younger drivers.
Researchers examined the driving habits of 266 drivers between the ages of 70 and 88. During 12-mile road tests, a professional instructor was in the front seat; an occupational therapist was in the back seat.
17 percent of the drivers made the instructor grab the steering wheel or apply the brake to avoid a serious error. The most common error was a failure to check the blind spots for cars beside them.
Drivers between 85 to 89 were four times more likely to make a driving error than those 70 to 74 years old. There was no difference between the way men and women drove.
There are more than 30 million drivers 65 or older. About 500 seniors are injured daily in car accidents.
(Anyone who has driven in a Florida parking lot could have told the researchers everything they needed to know.)
