Example research essay topic: U S Census Bureau Motor Vehicles - 1,253 words

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Senior Drivers Introduction Automobile is the barest necessity for American citizens. Overwhelming majority of our population lives in residential suburbs or small towns where public conveyances are not developed to a proper extent. Correspondingly, the car is the main, and often the only vehicle for such people. According to information provided by the U. S. Census Bureau, 1994 one out of every eight Americans was age 65 or older (NYS Department of Motor Vehicles n.

p. ). More than 200 million Americans are drivers. More than 20 million of them belong to a category of senior drivers. During the recent years there were many car accidents through senior drivers fault.

This circumstance resulted in heated debates: Should senior drivers be limited in their rights for driving for the sake of public safety? Severe car accident because of senior drivers mistake becomes a highly repetitive event. According to statistics retrieved from the U. S. Census Bureau, in 1995 senior drivers accounted for: 5 % of the total quantity of people injured in car accidents; 13 % of all fatal car accidents; 13 % of all car accidents ended by deaths of passengers and / or drivers; 18 % of all car accidents ended by deaths of pedestrians (NYS Department of Motor Vehicles n. p. ).

Despite of high risk factor the share of senior drivers in total quantity of car accidents is not high. It can be explained by fact that senior drivers often take into account their declined abilities to drive a vehicle, drive less and avoid extreme conditions of driving (i. e. driving at traffic hours, driving in darkness, etc). As far as we know, none of the countries have upper age limit for obtaining driving license. Some countries, including America, require medical examination for senior drivers, who reached 70 years old in order to avoid car accidents due to sudden health problems.

What concerns high percent of car accidents, the researchers claim that this problem has tendency to become worse. They explain that generation of baby-boomers (people who were born after the World War II) approaches to their pensionable age. The U. S. Census Bureau claims that more than 25 % of drivers will step over their 65 during the nearest twenty-five years (NYS Department of Motor Vehicles n. p. ).

Regular medical check-up of senior drivers such as reflexes and other aspects that influence the ability to drive a car is the best way to afford safety of American highways. Statistic data and common sense prompt us to popularize re-examinations for senior drivers. For example, The Department of Motor Vehicles proposes several types of DMV Reexamination: a standard DMV Reexamination and a Priority Reexamination (also called a priority re) it is the immediate evaluation of an individual by a DMV Driver Safety hearing officer. Reexaminations consist of vision, written and driving tests (DMV Reexaminations n.

p. ) Experience and Age Senior drivers are more experienced than their younger colleagues. Besides, they are more disposed to avoid risks and know the limits of their potential. However, senior drivers are not safeguarded against car accidents. On contrary, the probability to get into a car accident increases in geometrical progression due to various age-related changes. They are as follows: Deteriorating Eyesight Our eyesight fails during the course of time. The sphere of peripheral vision constricts and retina requires more light to allow the eye discerning clear images.

Senior driver at the age of 60 requires three times more light compared to a teenager. Besides, he requires more time to adapt himself to darkness. Such vision-related changes can make significant difficulties for senior drivers during the night time. The main eye-problems are as follows: farsightedness, nearsightedness, reduced contrast sensitivity, bright light sensitivity, decreased peripheral vision (tunnel vision) and cataracts (ACT Information n.

p. ). Deteriorating Hearing Deteriorating hearing results in difficulties to hear the sounds of approaching vehicles, the emergency vehicles upon senior drivers, to mention a few. Besides, drivers have more difficulties to define in which direction screeching tyres, or horns are sounding (ACT Information n. p. ) Physical-Related Changes and Diseases Physical-Related Changes should be taken into consideration because diminished strength, coordination and flexibility can have a major impact on your ability to safely control your car (Driving Safely n. p. ) Physical changes are as follows: reduced physical strength and flexibility, various kinds of age related diseases (arthritis, etc), the reduced sense of balance, etc. Changes to Thinking and Perception These changes concern reduced reaction times (ACT Information n.

p. ), problems to define the distance and speed of moving vehicles, etc. Besides, senior drivers require more time to concentrate and to resolve situation when many events happen at once. The Impact of Medications Overwhelming majority of senior Americans take medications. However, they can influence reaction times, reflections, eyesight, muscle strength, or even can cause drowsiness. According to the recent survey conducted by COTA, 71 % of people aged 50 and over were taking one or more medications, and 57 % of these people were taking two or more medications (ACT Information n. p. ).

Recommendations So, what are possible recommendations for senior drivers? What can be done to decrease the risk to get into a car accident? Senior drivers should try to adapt themselves to age-related changes. Among our recommendations we advise to spend less time driving a car at dawn, dusk and night (Driving Safely n. p. ) It is conductive to safe driving and allows senior drivers remaining in the ranks of drivers. Sad as it may seem, time has no mercy to all of us.

Senior drivers have various health problems, their reaction becomes slower and vision becomes worse. Nevertheless, declining years cannot make an individual not capable for driving. Various studies contribute to our opinion. For example, the results of study Aging and Visibility of Highway Signs: A New Look Through Old Eyes conducted by Donald Kline in 1991, claim that senior drivers do not contribute disproportionately to the overall number of traffic accidents or traffic citations (Aging p. 5). Lila F. Laux and John Brelsford Jr.

also consider that age cannot be examined as a reliable predictor of the rate at which senior drivers reported car accidents. The researchers claim that how well these drivers performed on a number of sensory, cognitive, psychomotor, and physical tests was predictive of the rate at which they reported having a number of driving problems, irrespective of age (Age-Related p. 3). It is difficult to image a modern senior American citizen without driving license. At the same time, the responsible driver should understand that the matter concerns safety of people. The re-examination of mode of life should be the next logical step for senior drivers. In case they take into consideration age-related changes and try to adapt themselves, drivers will be able to improve their driving skills and will never be a menace to our highways and city roads.

References: ACT Website. ACT Information for Older Drivers. Retrieved November 2, 2006. web Kline, Donald. (1991).

Aging and Visibility of Highway Signs: A New Look Through Old Eyes Lila F. Laux, John Brelsford Jr. (1990). Age-related Changes in Sensory, Cognitive, Psychomotor, and Physical Functioning of Driver Performance in Drivers Aged 40 - 92. NYS Department of Motor Vehicles. Governor's Traffic Safety Committee. Retrieved November 2, 2006.

web The Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV Reexaminations. Retrieved November 2, 2006. web USAA Educational Foundation, AARP, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Driving Safely While Aging Gracefully.

Retrieved November 2, 2006. web

Research essay sample on U S Census Bureau Motor Vehicles