Charleston, WV (WOAY) – The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program has declared December 1–5 Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, urging families to talk with aging loved ones about when it may be time to stop driving.
West Virginia has the oldest population in the nation, and drivers 65+ were involved in 27% of all fatal crashes in the state from 2019–2023.
“They have such a loss… of independence, maybe even a loss of self-worth, some depression… And who am I going to depend on now? …It’s very scary,” said Kim Ratliff, social worker with Raleigh County Commission on Aging.
Her advice: “Have an open, honest conversation… make sure you got a game plan… Let them know, hey, life is not over just because you’re not driving. There’s still options out there.”
Resources and conversation guides from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): NHTSA.gov/OlderDrivers
Watch the full report above.
