We are all familiar with the minimum age required of drivers that are legally allowed on the road. The typical minimum age is set at 16 years although there are specific locations that allow younger drivers at 15 years or require older ones at 18 years. The main reason why there is much emphasis on the minimum age requirement is because of statistics that show that the biggest bulk of fatal vehicular accidents involve drivers from the age of 15 to 24 years.
In the context of driving, age is often seen as an indicator of experience which is not right at all times. We can have a seasoned 20-year old driver driving for four years and a newbie 30-year old driving for only a month. Although age per se matters especially in relation to teenage drivers who are not yet exactly expected to make the best decisions, age and experience will have to be considered closely together.
On the other side of the spectrum which may present certain concerns are the senior drivers aged 60 and above. Although most have gained considerable experience and expertise on the road through time, time has also become the main culprit in the deterioration of certain capabilities. The most commonly affected are sight and reflex.
All drivers know that these two work doubly hard while driving. A driver cannot afford to have serious vision problems that may cause him or her to make fatal decisions in driving. Fast reflex or reaction time to certain circumstances or road and traffic conditions are required to counter unexpected road risks.
Some countries have sought to address this concern by requiring drivers in advanced to age to renew their licenses more frequently. This also allows for more frequent vision testing. On a bright note however, drivers in this age group have one of the lowest accident records attributed largely to the less time they spend on the road and the better condition of their cars.