Associated with the ageing of the population is an increase in the number of older drivers which means the mobility needs of older people will become even more important in the future. Older drivers are not a problem in terms of the actual number of crashes in which they are involved, since they do not drive far enough to record high accident levels. The ATSB Road Safety's Serious Injury database for 1990-92 reveals that drivers of cars and light commercial vehicles over 65 years account for only ten percent of serious injuries. By examining the incidence of fatalities and serious injuries according to population size and gender, it becomes clear that males have a higher level of risk across all age categories. Female drivers in contrast show little deviation in risk according to age.
Older drivers are however, a major problem in terms of their risk of crashing while driving.
The older driver's accident risk also tends to increase with increasing age. The high fatality rate amongst older drivers is thought to relate to their increased frailty and consequently a greater risk of crash injuries resulting in fatalities. Factors thought to contribute to the accident involvement of older drivers relate to the physical changes associated with ageing. These physiological changes can affect vision, hearing, physical mobility and cognitive processes. As people age, their ability to process information declines in terms of capacity and speed.