South Florida Personal Injury Blog

This year, five states, including Florida, altered their procedures regarding driver’s license renewal cycles for older drivers. This is of significant concern to accident attorneys as it exemplifies the increasing risks posed by drivers with diminished faculties on South Florida highways. Broward County, in particular, has experienced a drastic increase in auto negligence cases that involved elderly drivers over the last decade which has resulted in even more injury claims. As a result, effective October 1, 2008, Florida increased the renewal cycle from 6 to 8 years for drivers under the age of 80 but instituted an accelerated renewal cycle of just 6 years for drivers aged 80 and over. Statistics gathered over a significant period of time will determine if the amendment will prevent auto accidents and personal injuries on the road.

The change in the law means that when drivers turn 80, their driver’s licenses cannot be renewed by mail or online. The drivers must appear in person at the driver’s license office or a licensed physician’s office and pass a vision test. Licensing agencies have the authority, however, to deny a license to anyone of any age who appears to be unfit to drive.

The change may prevent some older drivers from trying to renew their licenses out of fear that they cannot pass a vision test. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted a study which indicated that 7% of elderly drivers in Florida would no longer be able to renew their driver’s licenses as a result of the new requirement.

A study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that nationwide, drivers over the age of 65 are involved in more fatal car accidents than drivers under the age of 65. The numbers increase for drivers between the ages of 75 and 84, equaling the death rate of teen drivers. Drivers over the age of 85, however, are four times more likely to be involved in a fatal automobile accident than teenagers.

The states may be preparing for the reality that there will be increasing numbers of older drivers on the road, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In fact, the numbers are projected to increase by 73% by the year 2030, and the Census Bureau predicts that 25% of fatal car accidents by that time will involve drivers over the age of 65.