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New IIHS Report Says Older Motorists Driving More, Involved in Fewer Accidents

A new status report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that concerns about a growing population of elderly motorists and their increased accident risks, may be exaggerated.

The report shows that there may be more numbers of older drivers out there, and they may be driving more than before, but they aren’t really being involved in more numbers of accidents than before. If anything, the rates of senior driver fatal accidents actually declined over the past decade. The rates of fatal accidents per licensed driver aged above 70, declined between 1997 and 2008. There was also a sharp decline in the numbers of less serious accidents involving motorists of the same age group.

The report comes as an update to a study conducted nine years ago that indicated a disturbing trend. That report indicated that as the life span of the average American increased, there would be more numbers of elderly motorists on the road. These citizens, the report said, were likely to be mobile and independent well into their 70s and 80s, preferring to drive everywhere on their own. This could increase accident rates, and the report warned about increasing accident, injury and fatality rates for senior motorists.

The new report however, shows that nothing of the sort is happening at all. At least for now, it doesn’t seem that more senior motorists automatically translate into more numbers of serious and fatal accidents involving these motorists.

The report has a number of explanations about why these accident and fatality rates for senior motorists, are declining. Contrary to belief, the economy has not had anything to do with this. Rather, motorists seem to be getting better about policing themselves and their driving skills.  To California accident lawyers, it seems that there is a greater awareness about the driving challenges that senior motorists face as they get older, and no one seems to notice that better than the senior drivers themselves. This means that elderly drivers are more likely to give up their car keys when they feel like they’re losing their ability to drive safely.

The report also used the results of an Iowa study to indicate that stronger state licensing policies that include retesting, vision tests and a ban on renewing licenses electronically or via mail, may be contributing to lower accident rates. Elderly motorists in states that have such strict licensing policies in place are more likely to place tabs on their own driving. Such motorists were likely to restrict their own driving in risky situations, like driving at night or on slippery roads. Overall, the IIHS report indicates that older motorists aren’t getting significantly dangerous.

Elderly motorists seem to be doing a much better job of policing themselves than they used to, perhaps because of greater awareness?

More advanced auto safety features and safer vehicles seemed to do a better job of protecting elderly motorists. These drivers benefited greatly from enhanced auto safety.

They also seem to benefit from advanced emergency medical trauma care that reduces their risk of death in an accident.

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