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Older adults (>65 years) account for almost 20% of the population in the United States and prefer driving as their primary mode of transportation but are at greater risk for crash-related injuries and death, compared to younger drivers. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) may hold health and safety benefits for older drivers if this segment of the […]
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Older Driver Safety Awareness Week is an important week to highlight the role of transportation and mobility in keeping older adults active in their communities. One of the toughest decisions we’ll have to make is deciding when to move out of the driver’s seat and into the passenger’s seat. That’s why […]
If you are an older driver or a caregiver, NHTSA encourages you to talk about driving safety. We offer material to help you understand how aging can affect driving and what you can do to continue driving safely as you age, such as adapting a vehicle to meet specific needs. Read more about older driver […]
In 2018 there were 6,907 people 65 and older killed in traffic crashes in the United States, 19 percent of all traffic fatalities. Between 2017 and 2018 there was a 1-percent increase in the number of 65 and older killed in traffic crashes. For the purpose of this fact sheet “older” drivers, occupants and nonoccupants […]
This research brief used data from the AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study to examine the role of driving comfort in the self-regulation of driving by older adults. Self-regulation is the process by which individuals modify or adjust their driving patterns by driving less, or intentionally avoiding situations considered challenging. The process of […]
Advances in the development of advanced vehicle technologies (AVTs), such as blind spot alerts, lane keep assist, lane alert, and adaptive cruise control, can benefit senior drivers by reducing exposure to hazards and compensating for diminished cognitive abilities sometimes seen in this population. However, the degree to which such benefits can be realized in this […]
Older drivers represent the highest injury and fatality rate per 100 million miles driven. The disproportionate fatality risk is linked to several known factors, ranging from failure to yield to cognitive and visual limitations to seat-belt use abstention to fragility. Through a series of focus groups, usability tests, and a controlled field test, a universally […]
The AAA LongROAD study is a multisite prospective cohort study of 2,990 drivers recruited from five study sites: Ann Arbor, Michigan; Baltimore, Maryland; Cooperstown, New York; Denver, Colorado; and San Diego, California. Inclusion in the study required participants to be between 65 and 79 years of age, hold a valid driver’s license and drive at […]
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 […]
This research brief used data from the AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study to examine self-reported and objectively derived measures of driving in an older population. Information about older adults’ driving exposure and patterns (i.e., when, where and under what conditions they drive) is important for several reasons. Such information contributes to a […]
