4 Older people who are injured in motor vehicle crashes are more likely to die of their injuries than are people in other age groups. About half of fatal crashes involving drivers 80 years old or older occur at intersections and involve more than one vehicle. As a group, adults aged 70 years or older wear safety belts more often than does any other age group except infants and preschool children. 5 Older drivers tend to drive when conditions are safest. They limit their driving during bad weather and at night, and they drive fewer miles than younger drivers do.
Older drivers are less likely to drink and drive.
A study of crashes involving older drivers in Wisconsin found that drivers 65-74 years old did not pose a greater risk of serious injury or death for others than younger drivers did. For drivers aged 75-84, the results were inconclusive. By year 2010, the Public Health Service aims to reduce motor vehicle-related deaths among people of all ages to no more than 12 per 100,000 people. For adults over 70, the rate has remained stable at about 23 per 100,000 for more than a decade. 10 Improvements in road design Examples include wider lanes and shoulders, more one-way roads, better lighting, bigger and brighter signs, and lower speed limits where complex maneuvers are required.