Elderly Hudson Valley Driver Causes Rt-9 Accident Involving Child

Is it time to test older drivers to ensure they are not a danger to themselves or others?

Since we’ve been covering local news in the Hudson Valley, it hasn’t gotten easier to learn more about car accidents involving the elderly. Older people, who have reached a stage in life where they are beginning to lose coordination and decision-making abilities, are allowed to continue operating huge, deadly machines without restrictions.

Unfortunately, many family members have neither the courage nor the interest to take away their keys if their parents become a danger to other drivers. There has been much debate about whether the government has a responsibility to ensure that our older population is adequately equipped for use on the open road. Many agree that there should be a certain age at which drivers must take a retest in order to keep their license.

Tragic accident on Route 9 in Dutchess County

On Sunday afternoon, first responders received a 911 call about a two-car rollover on Route 9. According to police, the incident occurred in front of the Cornucopia Deli in Red Hook.

According to Red Hook police, a 27-year-old Elizaville man and his 15-month-old son were driving a Chevy pickup truck when they were cut off by another vehicle pulling out of the deli.

The other car was a 2000 Volvo driven by a 77-year-old man from Red Hook. According to police, the elderly man attempted to turn on Route 9 but failed to yield the right of way to the truck that was already traveling in the northbound lane.

The impact sent the Elizaville man and his child off the road, causing their vehicle to roll several times before eventually falling onto its side. The father and son were taken to Northern Dutchess Hospital where they were treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

The elderly driver refused medical treatment on site. Red Hook police issued the 77-year-old a ticket for “failure to yield right of way while entering a roadway.”

It’s unclear if the driver’s age had anything to do with the accident, but one can hope his family is taking precautions to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.

Nearly 30 New York hospitals receive a grade of “near unsatisfactory” when it comes to patient safety.