Georgia Injury Law Blog
Older drivers may be at a high risk of being involved in car accidents, and those risks are simply exacerbated if they also suffer from migraines.
Migraines are a common condition, especially among older people, but they may be dangerous for senior drivers. According to the results of a new study, older drivers who suffer from migraines are as much as three times more likely to be involved in a car accident. The results of the study were published recently in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. According to the researchers, migraines are already a common concern among older drivers with as many as 7% of senior drivers already diagnosed with migraines. The researchers believe that many migraines are undiagnosed which means we probably have an increasing population of older drivers on our roads who have their driving abilities impacted by their severe headaches and remain unaware of this. The researchers found a threefold increase in car accident risks for senior drivers in the 12 months after a diagnosis. Medications taken to control migraines do not seem to have any impact on car accident risks.
The researchers recommend that senior drivers who have recently been diagnosed with migraines discuss the effects of the condition on their driving abilities with their doctor. Be especially careful about the kind of medications that you take to control the pain while you drive. Also understand the dangers of introducing alcohol to the mix when you are already on medications to treat your migraines. Senior drivers already face a number of safety risks when driving and these could simply be compounded by their migraines.