Why Are Public Health and Safety Officials Concerned?

A large and fast-growing population of older drivers raises community concerns. Contrary to widespread myths, as indicated above, these drivers are more likely to be harmed than to harm others. For example, in 2001, adults ages 65 and over had a traffic fatality rate that was nearly 30 percent higher than that of the total population (19.36 per 100,000 older adults vs. 14.9 per 100,000 in the total population).⁹

Injury and Death Rates

Older drivers are actually safer drivers compared to young drivers. The graph below indicates an overall decline in the total number of crashes that involve older drivers in each age group. The graph does not show that, on average, older adults drive fewer miles per year than other drivers. Although the growing number of older drivers may result in an elevated number of crashes and fatalities, older adults will most likely never drive as often as younger drivers. Also, many older adults deliberately avoid driving during afternoon rush hour,¹⁰ which is when most multiple-vehicle crashes occur,¹¹ or at night,¹² which is when the most severe crashes occur.¹³ These self-imposed limitations are additional evidence that older drivers are not a menace to others.

Source: National Center for Statistical Analysis, 2000 - presented by Joan Harris (NHTSA) at 2003 ASA/NCOA Joint Conference

Older drivers, especially those over 75, are more likely than younger drivers over the age of 20 to suffer injuries or die when involved in a motor-vehicle crash. A contributing factor is the greater fragility that can come with age. Increasing bone frailty and the increased likelihood of heart disease or other diseases may precipitate injury or death in a crash. In 2002, more than 6,622 adults ages 65 and older died in motor-vehicle crashes.¹⁴ Drivers ages 85 and older have higher crash-death rates than all but the youngest drivers¹⁵ and the rates are rising. From 1990 to 2001, the number of deaths rose by 11 percent.¹⁶ This is primarily because of the increased frequency of automobile use and length of time that older adults are spending in their cars.

The graph below takes into account the number of miles driven by drivers in all age groups. It shows that, on a per-mile basis, drivers begin to have higher crash fatality rates after age 70. More research is needed to determine what factors predict crash rates for older adults. To better understand the risk factors among this age group, a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research project is examining the characteristics of older drivers who die in car crashes.¹⁷

Among these growing numbers, men are particularly vulnerable. In 2000, male drivers ages 70 and above were two to five times as likely as women to die in a crash (either through their fault or the other driver's).¹⁸ While similar differences between the sexes exist among younger drivers, a possible explanation for these differences in later life is that older men drive longer and more often than women.¹⁹

Lack of Transportation Alternatives

Most older drivers should expect to outlive their driving ability. While many older adults can continue to drive safely for many years, a new study comparing average life expectancy and maximum driving age for persons over 70 years old suggests that the majority of older drivers in the United States will become dependent on alternative sources of travel for approximately seven to ten years.²⁰ Many communities are not equipped to handle the needs of large numbers of older adults who are no longer able to drive.

Two other factors contribute to acceptable and accessible alternatives to the car. Other modes of transit do not afford the comfort, convenience and independence that older adults enjoy when they drive. Therefore, they face a difficult transition to alternative transportation. Moreover, conditions that may lead someone to stop driving, such as severe mental or physical impairments, also prevent that individual from taking public transportation.²¹

⁹ NHTSA, Traffic Safety Facts 2001, p. 104.

¹⁰ NHTSA (Aug. 2001) "Adaptive Strategies." Older Road User Research Plan. U.S. Department of Transportation. No. DOT HA 809 322. Retrieved from NHTSA on the World Wide Web: www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/olddrive/OlderRoad/appendix.htm.

¹¹ Federal Highway Administration (Feb. 1996) TravTek Evaluation Safety Study 21. U.S. Dept. of Transportation. No. FHWA-RD-95-188. Retrieved from USDOT Intelligent Transportation Systems on the World Wide Web: www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov/jpodocs/edlbrow/3b01!.pdf.

¹² NHTSA, "Adaptive Strategies."

¹³ FHWA, TravTek Evaluation Safety Study.

¹⁴ NHTSA (2002) Traffic Safety Facts 2002. Available at NHTSA on the World Wide Web: www.nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa.

¹⁵ Ibid.

¹⁶ Ibid.

¹⁷ ASA, May 2003 press release.

¹⁸ Ibid., p. 4, Figure 4.

¹⁹ Rosenbloom.

²⁰ Foley, D.J., Heimovitz, H.K., Guralnik, J., and Brock, D. (Aug. 2002) "Driving life expectancy of persons aged 70 years and older in the United States." American Journal of Public Health 92(8):1284-89.

²¹ Ibid., p. 9.