View on highway safety: Scrutinize older drivers

When states fail to curb dangerous seniors, results can be tragic.

Trying to persuade Grandpa that it's time to give up his driver's license is likely to be met with an irascible, if not downright hostile, response. Seniors know that physical and cognitive abilities decline with age, but they also fiercely prize their independence. Too many are in denial about their fading driving skills and won't voluntarily release their grip from the steering wheel.

The case for that difficult intervention — if not from families then from state governments — has never been more compelling. Elderly drivers are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes at traffic intersections than are younger drivers, according to a report issued last month by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

By 2030, the number of licensed drivers ages 65 and older will nearly double to about 57 million — about one in five drivers. Yet efforts by states to evaluate the abilities of older motorists aren't nearly as stringent as new limits being placed on teens, which increasingly face restrictions on night driving, the number of passengers they can carry and other matters.

That's happening because motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15- to 19-year-olds. But drivers older than 75 are even more at risk, as you can see from the chart nearby. They deserve equal scrutiny, and according to a new study by Congress' Government Accountability Office, they aren't getting it:

*Only 16 states demand that seniors undergo more frequent license renewals than non-seniors.

*Only 10 states require older drivers to undergo extra vision assessments.

*Only five states require older drivers to renew their licenses in person.

*Only New Hampshire and Illinois require road tests for those 75 and older.

In addition, little is done to screen older drivers for dementia, a condition that's likely to affect nearly half of those 85 and older. The risks of a crash for drivers with dementia are two to eight times greater than those with no cognitive impairment.

When states fail to get dangerous senior citizens off the roads, the results can be tragic.