Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Missing Elderly Man found in Overturned Car

Today, the issue concerning elderly drivers is widely talked about. However, no stricter rule has been currently imposed that will prevent an elderly from operating a vehicle once they are impaired by their physical condition.

The capacity of the elderly to avoid an accident is significantly reduced because they now have poor eyesight and slower reflexes.

These may be the reasons why an 88-year-old driver was reported missing when his family failed to communicate with him as he was driving home.

According to California Highway Patrol (CHP), the man who was reported missing for several hours was later found in an overturned car near the San Pablo Reservoir in Orinda.

He was located after the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office tracked his GPS location through his mobile phone signal. The information was then given to a CHP helicopter crew.

The crew was conducting their second circling along the area when they saw an overturned car located 300 feet below a steep embankment and in thick trees and brush, out of view from the ground.

He suffered from cold exposure and minor bruises and scrapes.

Accidents involving the elderly may be avoided if they accept the fact that they are no longer fit to drive. If a stricter rule concerning their driving is actually implemented, they should follow it wholeheartedly.