Senior Drivers

By Long Island Attorney Paul A. Lauto, Esq.

The two groups of drivers that present the highest risk on the road and consequently have the highest insurance premiums are the young and the elderly. Young drivers presumably will develop improved driving skills with age and more experience, but unfortunately the same isn't necessarily true for seniors. As seniors age, it is common for reflexes and reaction time to slow resulting in a higher accident rate and unsafe driving in general. Despite such deterioration of driving skills, it is often difficult to convince a senior that it is time to stop driving. The reason for such reluctance in forfeiting driving privileges, is that seniors understandably equate their independence with their ability to drive.

Fortunately, a promising solution is emerging through the rapid development of autonomous vehicle technology. A number of vehicles now offer a feature known as Full Self Driving (FSD), and Tesla is widely considered the leader in this space. Using advanced sensors and machine-learning technology, Tesla has created a sophisticated and continually improving version of FSD. While the technology has yet to be perfected and still requires driver attentiveness as a safeguard, one driving experience in a Tesla with FSD will convince even a skeptic that they are getting very close to mastering the technology. In addition, Tesla has begun rolling out its first Robo-Taxis, making significant progress toward fully autonomous transportation.

Although widespread use of autonomous vehicles is not expected to exist before 2040, when it arrives it will allow seniors to be transported in a safe and efficient manner while maintaining their independence indefinitely. In the interim, a current day Tesla with FSD could at the very least extend the driving age of seniors along with their independence, helping them live their best life.

Wishing all of you this Holiday Season seamless and safe travels, so that you all may live your best life.

Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
www.liattorney.com