With more and more people living into their 80s and 90s, there is a growing concern of having senior citizens behind the wheel of a car. This age group is often the most misunderstood group and sometimes they are unjustly criticized. That’s why I’d like to dedicate the next few posts to them and discuss some of the issues that senior drivers endure each day.
The first topic I want to address is the fact that many cities and states are making their roads more senior-friendly. One of the first states to do anything about this is – you guessed it – Florida. With all the senior communities in the state, this is a refuge for older people who enjoy the warm weather. As far as roads go, the state is trying to make them safer and more navigable for its older population. Here are some things the state has been doing:
• Making signs larger and easier to read since 1991
• Increased the width of road stripes from four inches to six to make them easier to see
• Decreased the amount of space between reflective pavement markings by half
• Placing “advance” street signs about 1,000 feet before the street to make them easier to find
• “Refuge islands” in the middle of roads to give pedestrians more time and safety to cross
According to Kevin Dunn, a state official in Tampa Bay, these improvements have really helped the senior drivers in the state.
In addition to states making safety improvements for senior drivers, your local Buick dealer also has vehicles that seniors enjoy. With the luxury and safety features of the newest Buick brands, senior citizens will want to enjoy the road for many more years to come.
