Just how old does one have to be before he or she is considered too old to get behind the wheel? A pedestrian hit-and-run case in San Diego has brought that question to the fore.

On the night of January 29th, a Rancho Buena Vista High School freshman was struck and mortally injured as he and friends skateboarded down Thibido Road. The driver then sped off. Initially left with little more than a car make and model, police may have been given a break during a candlelight vigil which took place the following night.

A 92-year-old man, driving by the gathering, stopped and told a deputy that he thought he may have hit an animal the previous night, at about the same time the hit-and-run took place. While no charges have been brought yet against the elderly man, he is considered a suspect and police have continued to investigate his story.

At 92, the driver being questioned in this case is well past the age many consider safe for driving. Still, the California DMV requires that individuals over the age of 70 renew their licenses in person, as well pass both an eye exam and written exam. Since no information has been released to the contrary, one can assume that the man's license was up-to-date and in order.

Could there be more to this terrible accident than just poor driving?

Without excusing the decision to leave the scene of a crime, which is inexcusable, it may be worthwhile to consider the elements that led to this accident in the first place.

People familiar with the location where the accident took place have reported that there are no sidewalks or streetlights. The youths had no choice but to ride their skateboards on the street, in the dark.

This poor road design is characteristic of many California roads, where the emphasis seems to be on quick and cheap, rather than on pedestrian safety. It's not just California either - defective highway design and poor road planning have cost thousands of lives, across the country.

Again, while there is no excuse for inattentive driving and leaving the scene of an accident,  state and city officials must recognize that poorly designed roads are a danger to everyone traveling on them. When this hit-and-run is resolved, we can only hope that those in power will take the time to learn from it - both in regards to license renewal and aptitude testing, and the danger posed by bad roads.

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