A 91-year-old man died after he lost control of his sedan on eastbound State Route 8, veering onto the shoulder and then hitting the guardrail before overturning.
Witnesses called 911 for James Clark Betts, a San Diego resident, and paramedics took him to the hospital. Hospital personnel pronounced his death after arriving at Scripps Mercy Hospital. The cause of death is listed as “blunt force injury of neck,” according to reports.
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The accident happened near the Fairmount Avenue offramp in San Diego at about 10:43 a.m.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States had nearly 44 million licensed drivers over the age of 65 in 2017. This is a whopping 63 percent increase from 1999.
While driving keeps older adults mobile, the risk of getting killed or injured rises with age. In 2017, 7,700 adults 65 and older died in traffic accidents; and another 257,000 arrived at hospitals to be treated for their injuries. Broken down by the day, 20 older adults were killed and 700 were injured daily.
Those over the age of 75 have a higher death rate in vehicle crashes and it is primarily due to their injury vulnerability. Age-related issues, such as declines in vision and physical abilities, also can play a part.
The CDC has some key steps that can prevent deaths and injuries to older drivers:
- Always wear a seatbelt.
- Drive when conditions are safest.
- Have eyes checked at least once a year.
- Plan the route before driving.
- Take the safest route with good lighting, left-turn signals, and easy parking.