"STRATFORD — A Stratford policewoman on the job for only three months suffered head injuries when she was hit by a pickup truck as she directed traffic along Broadbridge Avenue late Thursday afternoon, police said.

"The officer was struck by an elderly driver just before 5 p.m., said Lt. Douglas Tesla.

Man, even the AARP warns the public that the elderly are at risk of dangerous driving:

"As one ages, specific functions related to driving skills may be impaired. These functions include vision, hearing, sensation, and cognitive and motor abilities. For example, a decline in peripheral vision may affect the ability to pass approaching vehicles safely, and the decreased range of motion in an older person's neck may impair the ability to look behind when backing up. In addition, reaction time decreases by almost 40 percent on average from age 35 to 65.

"The aging process may also affect cognitive skills. Short-term memory loss, for instance, can impair driving skills by interfering with a person's ability to process information efficiently when merging with traffic or changing lanes. Such difficulties are magnified when the older driver performs these driving skills under stressful conditions. The higher incidence of cognitive impairment, particularly dementia, among older adults produces an increased risk of accident involvement.