Older people should wear seatbelts
Wearing a seat belt has been compulsory since 1983, however a recent study conducted by ICM uncovered that 1 in 20 drivers don’t always wear one.
People aged between 25 and 34 were the age group least likely to wear a seat belt. Older people were less likely to commit a seat belt related offence, but 85% of people over 65 stated that they find wearing a seat belt too restrictive and 33% are afraid that they might get trapped by a seat belt in the event of an accident.
The benefits of the seat belt far outweigh any worries people might have. The AA reports that in the first 20 years of being made a legal requirement for drivers and passengers, seat belts have saved 50,000 lives. They also urge people who don’t always wear one to change their attitude as they calculate up to 300 lives could be saved every year if more people wore their seat belts.
Over the last few decades cars have become much safer. Car manufacturers now adhere to safety standards and they compete to make their models safer. New technologies have been developed to increase safety, specifically for elderly drivers. Some of these new developments include; smart headlights, blind spot warning systems and drowsy driver alerts to name a few. Another notable step which has been made is the seat which Ford have developed, this has the ability to detect when a driver is suffering a heart attack. Existing technologies such as front and back cameras and park assist can really help elderly driver with the more common problems such as parking.
Independent sites such as Euro NCAP let you check how well your car ranks in terms of road safety, and for all manufacturers it’s now essential to make each car as safe as possible to attract their target market. For elderly drivers, or relatives on their behalf looking to buy a new car some of the safest cars currently available include the BMW 5 Series saloon, the Vauxhall Mokka SUV, the Hyundai Santa Fe SUV and the Mitsubishi Outlander SUV. According to a report by the Department of Transport, the number of accidents and deaths on British roads has decreased since the year 2000. Although technology has made some serious strides towards safer vehicles, seatbelts remain the most important lifesaving device. With these advancements in technology and improved safety of vehicles this can only reassure the confidence of elderly people driving.
