Death Rate for Older Drivers Drops in Florida After Vision Screening Law Passed

Death rates for older drivers in Florida decreased following passage of a vision screening law for drivers age 80 and older, according to new research from University of Alabama. The UAB researchers say that, while there is little evidence of an association between vision and motor vehicle collisions, the death rate among older Florida drivers has decreased significantly since the law requiring drivers age 80 and older to pass a vision test went into effect in 2004. While overall death rates for all drivers climbed slightly during this period, the fatality rate for older drivers fell 17 percent. Fatality rates for older drivers in Alabama and Georgia did not change.