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A Senior Citizen’s Efforts to Get Healthy Could End Up Killing Them

There’s no question that California has a higher than average rate of pedestrian deaths. This is something that’s been true for a long time and it doesn’t show any signs of decreasing. However, new studies are showing that there may be more to these stats than the simple fact that everyone is in danger when walking down California streets.

Read on to learn why the elderly may be in particular danger when it comes to pedestrian deaths. If you or a loved one has been injured as a pedestrian, or a loved one lost their life in an accident, then your next call should be to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707. We will start with a free legal consultation during which we’ll outline your options and give you our best legal advice.

Learn why California has higher rates of pedestrian deaths

Many studies have shown that certain parts of California have shockingly high rates of death related to pedestrian deaths. In fact, if you look at Coachella Valley, you’ll see an area with the rate of pedestrian deaths that’s four times the number of the national average. Some people have opinioned that it’s due to the fact that there are high speed limits in this area, while others believe it’s because there’s a larger number of pedestrians. A new study shows that there may be another very important factor.

Age is a huge determining factor in a person’s danger level as a pedestrian

There’s no question that senior citizens are more likely to die in a pedestrian accident compared to a younger person. There are many theories about why this is true. First, it’s true that in California, more and more senior citizens are giving up their cars in favor of walking. This may seem good for their health but there’s something else at work here.

Senior citizens often give up walking not for health purpose’s and not for environmental purposes, but because they have a limited range of motion, they can’t hear or see as well, or they find that their reaction time has plummeted. These are all good reasons not to drive but they also make a person much less safe as a pedestrian too.

Ways for seniors to become safer while walking on California roads

The good news is that there are some safety tips that can help seniors stay safer. First, it’s a good idea for seniors to pay attention to their route and stick to options with less vehicle traffic. Second, it’s wise to time walks so that they take place during non-peak driving hours. Finally, seniors are encouraged to walk in groups or pairs to maximize their safety.

It’s also important for seniors to be careful with their medication. They may take something to help their heart disease or diabetes, but that medication could also interfere with awareness and reaction time. This is a possibility to talk over with the prescribing doctor.