An elderly man allegedly ignored roads signs leading to a construction site and found himself atop a steep dirt hill in Fresno, California. Before the driver or any construction workers were hurt, the California Highway Patrol claims they managed to intervene and get the older man to safety, lending assistance to the “disoriented senior driver,” but not before removing him from the driver’s seat of his tenth-generation Pontiac Bonneville.
The CHP in Fresno claims they temporarily removed the man’s vehicle from his possession and went on to recommend a driver’s license reevaluation for the unidentified driver. The “seasoned senior’s” age remains undisclosed, but folks are generally considered senior citizens at the age of 60 to 65 in the U.S. The CHP said that “it’s miraculous no one was hurt” after the man drove into the closed construction site. Per Facebook:
The incident occurred at the edge of a hill near Mountain View and Chestnut Avenues, according to local news KSEE/KGPE. That hill, however, seems to be within a larger site where construction is ongoing. Photos from the CHP show a sign that clearly states “Road Closed,” but the police statement mentions that not everyone takes these signs seriously. That makes it sound like the driver ignored the road sign and pressed on into the active work zone willingly, rather than having merely wandered into the site accidentally.
The CHP goes on to describe the driver as a “disoriented senior,” however, and patrolmen included an open invitation to the agency’s “Age Well, Drive Smart” classes, which are driver education courses aimed at seniors. The classes cover safe driving habits for elderly people, but also navigate the uncomfortable topic of knowing when it’s time to retire from driving altogether.
Car crashes tend to be more severe for elder drivers and the rate of fatality increases with age, according to a Fox News report. An IIHS statistic cited by the AARP says fatal crash rates peak at the age of 85 and above. Again, while the CHP failed to disclose the alleged driver’s age, it’s clear things could have gone wrong for the Pontiac, which ended up precariously placed at the top of a large dirt mound overlooking heavy machinery and trenches full of rebar.
