DUI and Driving: Older Adults and Their Risks

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Driving abilities can be significantly impaired when a person is under the influence of alcohol. However, as people age, the risk is significantly higher. While it can be said that young people are more prone to drinking and driving, older individuals may suffer dire consequences because even trace amounts of alcohol in the system can affect their physical and mental responses. When you take a sip, it is best to give the wheel to someone else, unless you want to hear advice from a Houston DWI attorney. 

How Can Age Affect Driving Ability 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that the risk for injury and death in a vehicle crash increases with age. Older adults already experience difficulties under normal conditions, whether it’s due to poor eyesight, decreased hearing, or reduced reflexes. When you factor in alcohol, the effects would become even more serious. Let’s analyze this in detail: 

Poor Eyesight

Presbyopia is age related. It involves the gradual loss of the ability to focus on nearby objects. As soon as you hit 40 years old, you may notice that it can be quite challenging to see people and things around you. When you are driving at night, you are at a higher risk to hit a pedestrian or a curb. In addition to presbyopia, some adults with concomitant diseases would also suffer from glaucoma or macular degeneration, both of which can cause significant visual impairment. 

Reduced Hearing

Like presbyopia, your ears also undergo physiologic changes that can cause reduced hearing. When you have presbycusis, it can be harder for you to hear audible cues, such as a screeching tire, horns, or an ambulance. 

Poor Reaction Time or Reflexes

Age can slow your reflexes. As you age, your body undergoes physical changes, in which your nerve fibers and the motor control in the brain lose cells over time, which can affect how rapid your responses will be. In a busy street, it can be difficult to react to a crossing pedestrian. While your mind knows what you should do, your body’s reaction time is severely decreased and it takes a longer time for you to hit the brakes. 

Stiff Muscles and Joints

Sometimes, you may be suffering from stiff joints and muscles that will make it even harder for you to react. When you feel sore, it can be challenging to move the steering wheel away from a person or an object on the road. 

Medications

There are some medications that can also affect an older person’s ability to maneuver a vehicle. That’s why some drugs come with precautions when driving. Some drugs, such as those for diabetes and hypertension, can cause sleepiness or drowsiness while others may even blur the vision.

Factoring in Alcohol

When you factor in alcohol on top of these health issues, the risk for driving injuries is heightened. Note that some medications cannot be taken in with alcohol because it can either negate the effects of the medication or it can result in serious problems when mixed with alcohol.

Aside from drug interactions, older people also have a decreased ability to metabolize alcohol. That’s why older adults tend to get drunk quicker. The increased sensitivity to alcohol is mainly due to the decreased levels of liver and digestive enzymes that breaks down alcohol and the decreased water present in our body. Hence, when you drink alcohol, it stays in the bloodstream longer. 

Given this information, it is best for older adults to shy away from alcoholic beverages. Take care of your health and don’t drink and drive, no matter what your age is.