When a prospective car purchaser wants to try out a vehicle and go for a test drive, it can sometimes become a dangerous situation. Test drivers may not have experience driving the type of vehicle that they are trying out. Furthermore, the experience of test driving a vehicle can be distracting, as the driver is often trying to evaluate the car quickly, while performing a test drive that may include a dealership representative in the vehicle, further increasing the distraction. Last month, an Orlando test drive turned deadly when a prospective car purchaser was struck by another vehicle while entering the dealership upon completing the test drive.
According to a local news report discussing the accident, an elderly couple visited an Orlando dealership last month to test drive a Nissan SUV. The 86-year-old husband was driving the vehicle, his 76-year-old wife was in the passenger seat, and a dealership representative was riding in the back seat. When the driver attempted to make a left turn back into the dealership, he did so into the oncoming path of another SUV, which struck the Nissan near the front passenger side, causing the SUV to roll over onto its side. Emergency crews responded to the scene, where the 76-year-old woman was declared dead. The husband suffered minor injuries, and the dealership representative was not injured in the crash. According to the news report, all people involved in the accident were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
As drivers get older, their driving abilities generally diminish with time. It can be tough for authorities and the family members of aging drivers to assert that the driver may no longer be able to safely operate a vehicle. Florida has enacted the “GrandDriver program” to offer resources and support (as well as additional rules) for drivers over 80 years old and their families. Florida drivers over 80 years old must renew their license every 6 years (compared to every 8 years for younger drivers), and pass a Mature Driver Vision Test at an approved location. These additional rules have been enacted to help mitigate the dangers of allowing aging drivers to retain their driving privileges.
Although Florida’s GrandDriver program appears to help keep Florida roads safe from dangerous drivers, the program may not go far enough to prevent accidents caused by unsafe drivers over the age of 80. Aging drivers can have issues with attention, vision, cognition, memory, reaction time, and motor control. Because of this, an older driver may not be able to avoid an accident as easily as another driver. Aging Florida drivers are required to maintain liability insurance on their vehicles in case an accident occurs.
Speak with a Miami Personal Injury Lawyer About Your Case Today
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident caused by a dangerous or negligent driver, you should be entitled to compensation for your injuries or loss. It may seem cruel or difficult to seek damages from an elderly driver who caused a crash, but the fact is that all unsafe drivers should be held accountable for the consequences of their choices. The experienced Florida car accident attorneys at Friedman, Rodman, Frank, and Estrada will handle the most difficult tasks in pursuing your case, leaving you the time and energy to heal and recover. Our Florida injury attorneys accept clients statewide. Call our office at 877-448-8585 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation.