Are Older Drivers Becoming Safer?
Contrary to popular belief and even past statistics, older drivers are changing their ways on the roads. A new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study shows crash deaths among drivers older than 70 have fallen by 21 percent between 1997 and 2006 — and that’s despite the fact that the older population has actually risen by 10 percent. “Compared with drivers ages 35-54, older drivers experienced much bigger declines in fatal crash involvements,” according to the study. “Reasons for the fatality declines aren’t clear, but another new Institute study indicates that older adults increasingly self-limit driving as they age and develop physical and cognitive impairments.”
Autoblog notes some reasons for the decline, including “healthier, more fit seniors and safer drivers. State governments have also been more diligent in getting unfit seniors off the road with regular skills tests.” Kicking Tires adds that older drivers are becoming safer on their own: “One ongoing study suggests that once a driver reaches 80, he or she becomes much more likely to stay off the roads at night; avoid interstates, ice and snow; and travel fewer times and shorter distances,” they explain.
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