They say that with age comes wisdom and experience. While this may very well be true, with age also, unfortunately comes certain cognitive and physical impairments that can impact an individual's ability to perform certain tasks and duties.

When most people think about growing older, few realize that certain types of common age-related impairments are often experienced by men and women as young as 50. Many individuals this age are still working and they may therefore be at an increased risk for being involved in a work-related accident. New information recently released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that older workers within the transportation industry may be especially at risk. 

The CDC released statistics that show truck drivers and drivers of other commercial vehicles who are between the ages of 55 and 64 are roughly 50 times more likely to be involved in a fatal truck accident. In many accidents involving older truck drivers; existing injuries, vision problems and delayed reaction time are to blame. This information is alarming and has raised concerns among highway safety officials especially given the fact that many truck drivers are continuing to work well into their 60s.

By the year 2020, the CDC estimates that one out of every four working Americans will be over that age of 55. Given this projection, the information recently provided by the CDC should encourage trucking companies to enforce mandatory routine testing to gauge various driving-related skills.

Drivers and passengers who have been involved in an accident involving a large truck or commercial vehicle often sustain serious or even fatal injuries. Many such accidents stem from driver error and, given the recent CDC information, that number is only expected to increase in the coming years.

Source: Claims Journal, "Older Transportation Workers More Likely to Die in Job Accidents," Drew Armstrong, Aug. 26, 2013