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Accident Sends one Elderly Passenger to Hospital

In late January, a one vehicle accident sent one elderly senior to the hospital with serious injuries. On January 23, 2015, at around 5:30 p.m. a 2002 Dodge Dakota pickup truck driven by George D. Baugh, 74, of Lewisburg was traveling eastbound on Deerlick Road when he veered off of the roadway and collided with a tree. The Logan County Sheriff’s Department was notified of the accident and found that Nancy D. Baugh, 73, was a passenger in the accident.

Mrs. Baugh had sustained numerous serious injuries as a result of the accident and was transported via ambulance to the Logan Memorial Hospital. Later, she was taken to Skyline Medical Center in Nashville. At the time of her transfer, she was listed in critical condition. The accident is still under investigation with the Logan County Sheriff’s Department, and so far no charges have been filed against Mr. Baugh.

Tennessee Elderly Drivers

According to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, so far this year there have already been thirteen accidents that involved elderly drivers and at least one fatality. Over the last five years, a senior driver has been a part of 185, 176, 194, 222, and 212 accidents involving at least one death between 2010 and 2014, respectively. Additionally, of the 204,811 total traffic accidents that occurred on the roads in Tennessee last year, there were 19,293 crashes that involved a driver that was ages 65 and older.

Issues with Older Adult Drivers

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety reported that in 2012, there were around 29.1 million drivers aged seventy years old and older living in the United States, and of those 23.1 million were licensed to drive. This represented approximately 79 percent of the population 70 and older and about eleven percent of drivers of all ages. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population aged seventy years and older is projected to increase from 29.1 million in 2012 to 52.7 million in 2030.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chances of being involved in an accident while driving increase as you age. Physical, cognitive, visual, and hearing abilities decline with age and can interfere with safe driving. Many older drivers also take medications, which can impair driving ability at any age but can be especially impairing for an older person.

Common Types of Elderly Crashes

Compared with younger drivers, elderly drivers are more likely to be involved in certain types of car accidents. Angle crashes, overtaking, mergers, and intersection crashes are far more likely with senior drivers. Studies of senior-involved crashes have found that failure to yield the right-of-way is the most common error among seniors. The reason for this varied; drivers between 70 and 79 years old were more likely to see another vehicle but misjudge whether there was time to proceed while drivers aged 80 and older usually failed to see the other vehicle.

Call a Nashville Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one was involved in a car accident with an elderly driver in the Nashville area, let the experienced personal injury lawyers at Calhoun Law, PLC help. Call the office or contact us today for a free and confidential review of your claims.

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