Elder Drivers and the Risk of a Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident
Age can play a factor in the probability of a serious or fatal motor vehicle accident here in Indiana and Illinois. For instance, young drivers – especially teenagers – are known to face a high risk of dying in a fatal car crash. For more, read:
- Teen Driver Accidents in the Summer: the 100 Deadliest Days for Fatal Teen Car Crashes
- Teen Drivers and Fatal Car Accidents: High Risk in Indiana and Illinois
- Teen Drivers Legally Licensed and Still Dying Behind the Wheel; Car Crashes Number One Cause of Teen Deaths.
At the other end of the age spectrum, safety advocates also voice concerns for drivers of a certain age, where physical capabilities can hamper their ability to operate a motor vehicle without endangering themselves or others on the road with them.
What Age Defines an “Older Driver” Today? It Depends.
There is no bright line that determines when someone is considered an Older Driver and therefore a driver with a higher risk of accident because of their advancing age.
75 Years or More: Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
In the State of Indiana, drivers who have reached the age of 75 years or older are distinguished from other drivers based upon their age.
Under Indiana law, once a driver reaches the age of 75 years, he or she must renew their driver’s license in person (compared to other drivers, who can renew online every six years). A vision test must be passed by the older driver before the driver’s license will be renewed.
70 Years or More: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) describes itself as “an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses — deaths, injuries and property damage — from motor vehicle crashes,” and its efforts are “wholly supported by these auto insurers and insurance associations.”
Considering this issue from an insurance industry perspective, according to the IIHS, it is when an older adult hits the age of seventy (70) that the likelihood of that person being involved in an accident escalates.
65 Years or More: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers drivers who are 65 years or older to be an “older driver” with a higher risk of being involved in a serious or fatal motor vehicle accident.
According to the CDC: In 2016, approximately 20 adults aged 65 years or more died in motor vehicle accidents each day, with another 794 suffering injuries each 24-hour time period.
60 Years or More: Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED)
Another advocacy group dedicated to safer roads is the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, called “ADED.”
This group, comprised of health care professionals in a variety of fields, defines “older adults” at 60 years or more, a full decade earlier than the IIHS.
Are Older Drivers Dangerous on Our Roads? The Real Risk of Fatality for an Older Driver
When all drivers are considered as a whole, age has been shown to reduce the risk of a serious or fatal accident. Drivers who are age 65 years or older have less accidents than other age groups. This is attributed to their greater overall compliance with safety protocols like wearing safety belts and not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
However, if the older driver is in an accident, their bodily injuries are more likely to be severe or even fatal because of things like medical conditions or age-related issues (like aging bones).
Senior drivers are reported to have the highest fatality rate per mile driven of any age group.
The growing number of older drivers on the road is another factor to consider. From the ADED:
“When their crashes are adjusted to reflect the number of miles traveled, seniors’ crash rates go up with their increased exposure. This is important to law enforcement officials because the empirical data are based on the historical likeliness that seniors were driving fewer miles as they aged. Analysts predict that more senior drivers will drive more miles in the future.”
More Older Drivers: More Fatal Accidents
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTHSA) confirms that the Baby Boomer generation is getting older, and with it, the number of older drivers is escalating.
NHTSA reports a 31% jump in the number of drivers 65+ years old from 2008 to 2017. As the Baby Boomer generation continues to hit retirement age, the Older Driver age group will continue to rise in number. Traffic fatalities involving a victim age 65 years or more will also increase.
Illinois’ National Safety Council (NSC) breaks down the NHTSA data for 2017 this way:
- Older driver deaths: 4,248 (57.7%);
- Passengers age 65+ riding with an older driver: 882 (12.0%);
- Passenger younger than 65 riding with an older driver: 15 (0.2%);
- Other vehicle occupants: 1,468 (19.9%); and
- Non-occupants: 746 (10.1%).
Older Drivers and Fatal Accidents in Indiana and Illinois
Older drivers not only have years of experience behind the wheel, they have accumulated years of wisdom in dealing with the challenges of life. Older drivers know to minimize their risks of being involved in an accident, for instance. Older drivers will avoid peak traffic times as well as obeying traffic laws (not speeding) and safety regulations (they buckle up).
As an age group, the Older Driver remains one of the least likely to cause a fatal or serious traffic accident. However, if an older driver is involved in a fatal crash, the investigation must include whether or not the driver’s age was a factor in the incident.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a serious motor vehicle accident involving an older driver, then the age of that driver will be considered in the evaluation of the causes of the crash. Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most likely causes of death for all age groups in Indiana and Illinois. Please be careful out there!
