I know that just about everywhere you go in the United States, the traffic around Christmas time becomes considerably worse, jam-packed with traffic that is distracted by the errands at hand and the time restrictions they have to do them. We have that here in Central Pennsylvania, but as an "outsider" that has lived here for 16 years, there's another traffic issue here that I don't remember from my life in California - the fearful, irregular older driver. There are a lot of advantages to living in a population where more than 15% are over the age of 65. Average quality of driving doesn't seem to be one of them. I believe that age can, and inactivity behind the wheel does, erode the ability to drive. The driver, if wise to this erosion, can become more and more conservative in their driving - cutting down their driving, driving when there is less traffic, choosing roads lesser taken, and removing all "chance" of their driving ability getting them out of self-created mistakes.
Unfortunately, none of this wisdom helps much at Christmas. Everyone goes to stores, there isn't a time when there isn't heavy traffic near stores in December, and the speed of traffic requires a more aggressive driving approach to get in and out of traffic. What can further frustrate everyone on the road is the driver that is moving 10 miles per hour less than everyone else, that slows to a crawl when making a turn and exiting the right of way, that refuses to keep up with traffic, and forcing 3 or 4 cars that normally might make a traffic light to wait another cycle during what is basically rush hour traffic before continuing on their way.
At this time of year, it seems like it's always older folks in older cars, clearly nervous behind the wheel and intimidated by the traffic, that are behind these occurrences. They, like everyone else, feel they need to get to the stores, do their Christmas shopping, and they take their chances. But I wonder. Sometimes doing things that work against everyone else's impatience is dangerous. Does my impression of the risk of these drivers actually show up as statistically evident? Are drivers over the age of 70 more likely to have an accident in December than any other time of year?
streetsroads.