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 Older Adult Drivers
Overview
Fact Sheet
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picture of an older adult drivingOlder Adult Drivers: Fact Sheet  


Occurrence

  • Motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries among older adults are rising. During 1990–1997, the number of deaths rose 14% and the number of nonfatal injuries climbed 19% (Stevens 1999). 
     

  • Drivers ages 65 and older have higher crash death rates per mile driven than all but teen drivers (IIHS 2003).
     

  • During 2002, most traffic fatalities involving older drivers occurred during the daytime (81%) and on weekdays (72%); 75% of the crashes involved another vehicle (NHTSA 2003).
     

  • The 65 and older age group is the fastest growing segment of the population; more than 40 million older adults will be licensed drivers by 2020 (Dellinger 2002).

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WISQARS
Allows you to form reports on injury mortality and nonfatal injury for a wide range of age groups  

Injury Maps
Allows you to create maps of U.S. injury mortality rates

Consequences

Drivers ages 65 and older who are injured in motor vehicle crashes are more likely than younger drivers to die from their injuries (IIHS 2003).

 
Groups at Risk

  • Rates for motor vehicle-related injury are twice as high for older men than for older women (Stevens 1999).
     
  • A study of crashes involving older drivers in Wisconsin found that drivers ages 65 to 74 did not pose a greater risk of serious injury or death for others than did younger drivers (Dulisse 1997). 

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Risk Factors

Age-related decreases in vision, hearing, cognitive functions, and physical impairments may affect some older adults’ driving ability (Janke 1994).

 
Protective Factors

  • Older adults wear safety belts more often than any other age groups except infants and preschool children (CDC 1997).
     
  • Older adult 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 (TRB 1988).
      
  • Older adult drivers are less likely to drink and drive than other adult drivers (NHTSA 2003). 

  
References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Data. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services (US). CDC; 1997. [cited 2002 June 1]. Available from: URL: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/page.asp?yr=1997&state=US&cat=IC#IC.  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [Online]. (2003). National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (producer). Available from: URL: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars. [2003 November 20].

Dellinger AM, Langlois JA, Li G. Fatal crashes among older drivers: decomposition of rates into contributing factors. Am J Epidemiol 2002;155(3):234–41. 

Dulisse B. Older drivers and risk to other road users. Accid Anal Prev 1997;29:573–82. 

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Fatality facts, older people. Arlington (VA): IIHS; 2003. Available from: URL: http://www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/fatality_facts/older_people.htm  [2004 Jan 28].

Janke MK. Age-related disabilities that may impair driving and their assessment: literature review. Sacramento (CA): California Department of Motor Vehicles; 1994. Report No. RSS-94-156. 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation (US). Traffic Safety Facts 2002: Older Population. Washington (DC): NHTSA; 2003 [cited 2003 December 10]. Available from: URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF2002/2002oldfacts.pdf

Stevens JA, Hasbrouck L, Durant TM, Dellinger AM, Batabyal PK, Crosby AE, et al. Surveillance for injuries and violence among older adults. MMWR Surveillance Summaries 1999;48(SS-8):27–50. 

Transportation Research Board, National Research Council. Transportation in an Aging Society. Special Report Washington (DC): The Council; 1988. Report No.:218, Vol. 1.

Department of Health and Human Services (US). Healthy People 2010. 2nd ed. With understanding and improving health and objectives for improving health. 2 vols. Washington (DC): Government Printing Office (US); 2000. 

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Phone: 770.488.1506
Fax: 770.488.1667
Email: OHCINFO@cdc.gov


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