An elderly Roxborough woman was run over and killed by her own vehicle while returning home from shopping Oct. 21.

Ethel Mazerski, 78, of the 600 block of Roxborough Avenue, opened her driver's side door and was about to exit her car when she fell outside the vehicle, and got pinned underneath, according to police.

"They thought it was either mechanical failure or a slip of the gear," said Philadelphia Police Department spokesman Sgt. Ray Evers. "The police (on the scene) said they saw some groceries nearby, so they're surmising that she was coming back from shopping."

Evers said Mazerski was pronounced dead at the scene.

A sergeant with the department's Accident Investigation Division, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, said Mazerski had been parking her car when "someone heard a scream and came over to help her."

"It appears that she got out of the car and it was still in gear and it rolled over her," he said.

While authorities haven't cited Mazerski's age as the cause of the tragic incident, the accident does raise concerns over what some consider the dangers of having senior citizens behind the wheel.

In the case of Ethel Mazerski, family members said they tried to take away the senior citizen's driving privileges, but to no avail, since Mazerski viewed this as one of her only remaining acts of independence.

"She cried," her son, Joseph, 50, said on Mazerski's reaction when he would suggest she give up driving. "That was the only freedom she had."

Old age had simply taken its toll, Joseph said, and he felt his mother, who had been driving since age 16, should no longer be behind the wheel.

While his mother never took advantage of mature driving courses offered by PennDOT, Joseph Mazerski said he does support the concept of retesting elderly drivers above a certain age.

And while older drivers are often associated with increased risks, many are quick to dispel any myths, saying the mentality that all older motorists are a danger to themselves and others is a gross generalization.

"It's not a blanket policy. It's an individual, medical determination," Jenny Robinson said on whether seniors should be allowed to continue driving themselves past a certain age.

Robinson, a spokeswoman for District 6 of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which handles the Philadelphia region, said PennDOT does not take a specific stance on elderly drivers.

"We follow what the state regulations have us do," she said. "We don't take a position on (whether) elderly drivers (should) be allowed to drive. It's an individual thing. Just because a person is a certain age, it doesn't mean they can't drive or be capable of that. It's up to medical professionals to consider otherwise."

What the commonwealth does do is offer older drivers a chance to brush up on their skills. According to Danielle Klinger, PennDOT's community relations coordinator in Harrisburg, there are various ways to determine if someone is still fit to operate a motor vehicle. One is a program in which 1,900 drivers 45 and older are randomly chosen each month to undergo an eye test and physical examination. Notices are sent along with driver license renewal forms informing the recipients they must have the testing done, by a doctor of their choosing, prior to having their licenses renewed. Test results must be sent by a doctor to PennDOT.

Selected drivers may also have to take a knowledge and/or road skills test depending on the outcome of the eye exam and physical, Klinger said.

"It's only after that ... where we would make that determination on whether a driver's examination is required based on the results," of the exams, she said.

Of course, it's not just older drivers who may need to undergo certain testing. Pennsylvania law requires doctors to report to PennDOT anyone 15 or older with conditions that can affect their ability to operate a motor vehicle. Why 15? According to Klinger, it has to do with the fact that the results of physicals are good for a year, and since teenagers can get their driving permit at 16, this means they could have gotten their most recent physical a year prior.

"Just because they are of a certain age doesn't necessarily mean they constitute a driving risk," Klinger said, referencing senior citizens.

But she did acknowledge that with age comes an increased risk of things like diminished reflexes and slower reaction time.

While the state won't discriminate based upon age, family and friends do have an obligation to ensure their loved ones can remain on the road safely, Klinger said. To help assist people with these difficult decisions, PennDOT has expanded its educational component to include things like online resources that help guide people on ways to deal with elderly drivers who should either cut back on driving, or stop all together.

"The ability to drive, that gives somebody independence," Klinger said. "If you're starting to talk about taking away that ability, that can be difficult."

If older drivers are averse to giving up their driving privileges, Klinger said concerned relatives and friends can notify PennDOT, which, in turn, can place restrictions on the licenses of older motorists, even over their objections, after required medical exams are completed. There are eight conditions that can be instituted, such as daytime driving hours only and corrective lenses, or prescription eyeglasses. Callers can remain anonymous, but must give their information to PennDOT, in case officials need to follow-up.

If a driver operating outside of those restrictions is stopped by law enforcement or identified through crash analysis, they can be cited, Klinger said.

Klinger views education as the most important component when dealing with drivers of all ages. For those who worry about loved ones because of their age, or who themselves feel they need to freshen up on their driving skills, PennDOT offers various programs to put them at ease. One example is the mature driver improvement courses offered by the National Safety Council, Seniors for Safe Driving, AARP or AAA.

"It helps people to understand how aging affects driving ability," Klinger said.

Robinson, the Philadelphia PennDOT spokeswoman, said more often than not older drivers recognize they might need to brush up on skills, and are all too willing to take the necessary action to ensure they don't become hazardous to themselves or others.

"The seniors I talk to are very concerned and very responsible. They want to keep driving and they want to keep doing it safely," Robinson said. "Nobody wants to endanger themselves or others."

As for Ethel Mazerski, the senior who died after being run over by her own car, Robinson said the incident didn't necessarily have to do with the woman's age.

"I can't even say that's an older driver issue," she said. "I think I've heard of cases like that with people in other age groups."

Both Robinson and Klinger said that type of incident is undoubtedly a rarity, although because incidents such as these typically occur at the home, such as in a private driveway, it's hard to compile data on fatalities of this nature, since they are not typically reported to PennDOT.

To learn more about safe driving, visit PennDOT's new Web site, www.drivesafepa.org.

Reporter Jon Campisi can be reached at 215-354-3038 or jcampisi@phillynews.com