Buyers have a lot to think about when it comes to choosing a new car. Between make, model and price, many factors play into the final decision. For senior drivers, these factors may look a little different.
While studies show young people are the road's most dangerous, drivers over 70 years old pose risks, too. For the elderly, choosing the right car could help alleviate some of the difficulties and dangers of driving at an older age.
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Consumer Reports ranked the best cars for older drivers in their June issue. Standouts from the list include the Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback, Kia Soul, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Santa Fe. The list is mostly made up of SUVs but also includes sedans.
To compile their list, Consumer Reports considered the following criteria:
- Accessible front seats: Entering and exiting the vehicle can be difficult for a mobility-challenged senior. Seat height needs to be at a "Goldilocks height" -- not too high so that they need to exert themselves climbing into their car and not too low that it requires them to duck, it needs to be just right.
- Simple control features: Good controls are easy to read and simple to use. Every knob, from the radio to the air-conditioning, should be straight-forward. In fact, some brands have recalled their cars because of tricky or confusing gear-selectors.
- Bright headlights: Senior citizens need adequate light to see the road ahead. Interestingly, headlight luminosity can differ greatly between car makes and models.
- Visibility: Finally, Consumer Reports considered how easy it was for drivers of all heights to see out of the windows on all sides.
The number of senior drivers in the U.S. has increased by nearly 50 percent between 1999 and 2015, according to CNN. However, Consumer Reports pointed out that there comes a point when some seniors should not get behind the wheel, no matter how accessible their vehicle is.
