Congratulations to Dick Van Dyke for living his best life at age 97 – but can we have the car keys now?
That after the landmark television sitcom and film legend emerged unscathed from a potentially serious auto accident in Malibu, Calif.
The accident occurred on March 15 as Van Dyke skidded his Lexus LS 500 sedan into a large gate in inclement weather. The Hollywood icon only suffered a bloody lip and nose and was treated on the scene by paramedics.
“I’m fine — just sore all over,” Van Dyke said in a March 24 video. “I’m pretty good....The airbags did not deploy, so I just had a face plant right in the steering wheel and it just made me a little dumber.”
Law enforcement officials said that Van Dyke was not operating the vehicle under the influence of illegal substances, but officers on the scene reportedly advised the actor to visit the California Department of Motor Vehicles and retake his driving test.
The accident shines a light on the issue of older Americans driving motor vehicles.
California is one of a growing number of U.S. states that requires registered drivers over age 70 to renew their driver’s licenses in person and to take a vision test.
Senior drivers continue to hit the road in record numbers. According to AAA, there’ll be 70 million Americans over age 65, and about 90% of them will have driver's licenses.
“Senior drivers are among the safest drivers since they often reduce their risk of injury by wearing safety belts, not drinking and driving, self-restricting their driving due to safety concerns, and by observing speed limits,” AAA reported. “However, seniors are also more likely to be injured or killed in a crash due to age-related fragility.”
