According to KTLA news, a 72-year-old woman crashed her car through the service doors at a Target Store in Canoga Park. The accident happened Friday evening at the store located at the Westfield Topanga Mall. Two people inside the store were injured, one of them critically.
The driver apparently failed to negotiate a turn down a driveway and never applied her brakes before crashing through the store and traveling more than 50 feet. According to news reports, a 29-year-old woman suffered serious head trauma and was listed in critical condition. A 56-year-old male victim sustained a hip injury and he too was taken to the hospital along with the elderly driver.
Elderly Drivers and Accidents
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of being injured or killed behind the wheel increases as we age. For example, in 2008, more than 5,500 older adults were killed in motor vehicle crashes and more than 183,000 were injured. This amounts to 15 older adults killed and 500 injured in crashes on average every day. According to studies cited by the CDC, per mile traveled, fatal crash rates increase starting at age 75 and increase notably after age 80. This is largely due to increased susceptibility to injury and medical complications among older drivers rather than an increased tendency to get into crashes.
Safety Measures Can Be Taken
For elderly drivers, age 65 and older, there are steps that can be taken to better ensure safe travel behind the wheel. Some of the accident prevention measures include: asking your doctor about current medications and their impact on driving, having your eyesight checked, planning your route well in advance, avoiding distractions in the vehicle and leaving a large distance between you and the car ahead. Beyond this, if there are concerns about one's ability to drive, alternative modes of transportation should likely be considered. As the accident above demonstrates, it is always better to take preventative steps before there is a tragedy that will affect the victims and their families for a very long time, if not forever.
When An Elderly Driver Accident Does Occur
Unfortunately, motor vehicle accidents involving elderly drivers are not uncommon and injuries resulting from those collisions can be devastating. Because compensation for injuries and damages are contingent upon and often limited by legal issues, it is always best to seek the advice of an experienced Orange County auto accident attorney after a collision. It is most important to determine what rights you may have to compensation in order to protect your future and that of your family.
SOURCE: KTLA NEWS, "Elderly Driver Slams into Canoga Park Target Store", October 28, 2012
