Older drivers today are less likely to be involved in car crashes than prior generations, according to a study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The findings support a continuing trend that began in the mid-1990s and help to quell fears of aging baby boomers becoming a safety and insurance threat on the road.
According to the study, from 1997 to 2012, fatal crash rates per licensed driver fell 42% for older drivers and 30% for middle-aged drivers. Breaking it down by age group, study results found that fatal crash involvement fell 36% for drivers aged 70-74; 46% for drivers 75-79; and 49% for drivers 80 and older from 1997 to 2012.
Click the chart on the right to see statistics on the national fatal passenger vehicle driver crash involvements per 100,000 licensed drivers by age for the years 1997 to 2012.
“Even crashes among the oldest drivers have been on a downswing,” says Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at IIHS and co-author of the study. “This should help ease fears that aging baby boomers are a safety threat.”
The study also found that older drivers are less likely to be killed or seriously injured if they are involved in a crash. This trend is most likely because vehicles are safer and seniors are generally healthier.
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