Younger politicians cultivate the future

There’s no time like now for the county and state leaders who have launched Hawaii’s Future Caucus.

The group is a bipartisan effort by elected officials under age 40 that aims to get more young people involved in politics, public service and civic affairs.

Those are worthy goals, and we wish the caucus great success. We’re confident the founders and others will keep in mind that idealism doesn’t expire at age 41.

Perception not always the reality

Based on anecdotal evidence, a lot of us probably have the impression that really elderly people and cars don’t mix well you know, the stories about grandma getting into her old beater and inadvertently backing into an ATM machine, or plowing forward into a convenience store, or turning into oncoming traffic.

But lo and behold, a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that between 1995 and 2008, traffic accidents involving drivers 80 years and older actually declined by about half the greatest decline for any age group in the study (and all age groups did show declines).

On the other hand, drivers 80 years or older still ranked fourth among drivers prone to accidents, behind drivers ages 16-19 (first), 20-24 (second) and 25-29 (third). So draw your own conclusions and just be wary of all drivers when out on the road.