It has happened to all of us, getting stuck on a one-lane road behind an elderly woman who seems to refuse to go at least the speed limit. The issue of elderly driving has become a major debate. Should the elderly (people 65 and over) be able to drive? Or should they be taken off the road?
             To be able to address this issue, you must first look at the facts. Elderly or senior drivers make up about ten percent of all U.S. drivers, and by 2030, nearly one in five Americans will be reaching the 65 and above mark. The fatality rate of the elderly has increased 33 percent in the last ten years (Christian Science Monitor). These facts can be alarming to some people. Not all facts are bad though, by demographics, seniors are the safer drivers on the road. For example, teens, ages 16 to 19 have five times more accidents than seniors. Also, seniors, unlike teens, will wear their seatbelt more often and don't drink as much.
             There are basically two sides to this issue. First we will look into the side that says, yes, the elderly should be able to drive. Driving is a privilege. Hardly any one person wants to have that little piece of plastic taken from them. Especially senior citizens. They have very limited things they can do. For example, they can't go places because the public transportation systems aren't good enough or non-existent. Several states are trying to help the elderly stay on the roads. Like, Florida, which has made funds available to increase the size of the lettering on signs and other improvements.
             Yet, the opposite side of the fence has a bigger argument. The eldery suffer from many illnesses that impair their driving abilities, such as dementia might cause the loss of memory. Parkinson's, epileptics, and arthritis that prevents some from turning their heads to check their mirrors (LA Times). The elderly have a large list of thing that makes them a danger on our roads. This
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