Traffic Safety Facts: Older Population

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April 10th, 2019

In 2017, there were 6,784 people age 65 and older killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Older people made up 18 percent of all traffic fatalities during the year. Compared to 2016, there was a 1-percent decrease in the number of fatalities in the older age group.

In 2017, some 50.9 million people—over 16 percent of the total U.S. resident population—were 65 and older. From 2008-2017, the fatality rate per 100,000 population of older people steadily declined, from 14.3 in 2008 to 13.3 in 2017. In this same time frame, the fatality rates of the population younger than 65 also declined, from 12.0 in 2008 to 11.0 in 2017. Figure 1 shows motor vehicle traffic fatality rates according to these age groups.