Elderly Driving Safety

Traffic safety of aging Americans is fast becoming one of the greatest concerns of government, auto manufacturers and insurance companies.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 1999 there were about 18.5 million licensed drivers 70 and older. Older people make up about 10 percent of all licensed drivers in the United States. Many elderly drivers limit the amount of time they spend behind the wheel and avoid driving during inclement weather or after dark. Yet, mile for mile, they still have a higher fatal accident rate than middle-aged drivers.

According to federal data, the number of Americans over the age of 70 involved in fatal traffic accidents increased by 33 percent from 1989 to 1999, even as traffic fatalities overall declined by 9 percent during that period, according to the American International Auto Dealers Association (AIADA).

A recent study by the American Automobile Association (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety found that drivers over the age of 65 are 1.78 times more likely to die in a car crash than drivers between the ages of 55 to 64. Drivers over 75 are 2.59 times more at risk; for drivers over the age of 85, the risk is 3.72 times as high

.

Some government proposals include more frequent testing for driver's license renewals and ways to make roads, particularly intersections, safer. More than half of all fatal accidents among drivers over 80 occur at intersections, compared to 25 percent among drivers under 50, according to federal reports.

AIADA suggests that older drivers limit distractions while driving, and plan ahead and stick to familiar driving routes. Older drivers should understand their limitation and drive defensively.