Here at the Phillips Webster blog we cover car accidents of all kinds. Some of them involve elder people, but we are very careful not to blame the accident on the age of the driver and tend to seek alternative explanations for the accident. This is because statistics have shown that the majority of the personal injuries and wrongful death are caused by younger people speeding, DUI of a wide age range, and distracted driving with also a wide range of ages.
Our notions were proven correct today with a new study released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) which confirms that senior citizens are causing fewer accidents and keeping their driver’s licenses longer.
“In fact, the rate of fatal crashes per licensed driver 70 and older declined from 1997 to 2008,” the study reports. “Rates of less sever crashes reported to police officers went down, too.”
That’s great news for seniors and has disproved that older drivers are somehow more dangerous than younger drivers. In fact the study may as a whole be safer drivers than others on the road.
A senior member of the American Association of Retired People (AARP) said about the study, “the new IIHS report reinforces what safety experts already know: Age, by itself, doesn’t cause car crashes. Most older drivers are safe drivers and exercise personal responsibility; the report found that many older drivers were limiting their own driving at night and on high-speed roads.”
The Study
The IIHS study looked at crashes over a decade ending in 2008 from statistics compiled over 13 states. The study was in response to statistics released in 1995 saying that older drivers were 3.5 times more likely to die in crashes as reported by law-enforcement agencies.
During the study period, the difference fell to 2.9 times worse fatality rates for the older drivers. This is actually a very pointed drop when considering it is over hundreds of thousands of accidents. One must keep in mind the fragility of seniors and their increased risk of what would be considered a non-life threatening injury becoming fatal for the elder victim.
That may be a reasonable explanation for the findings of the study that the 37% decline in fatal crashes involving drivers who are older than 70 exceeded the 23% decline in drivers age 35 to 54. Even non-fatal accidents declined for the oldsters while they increased slightly for middle-aged drivers. Yet more seniors are on the road, and more are coming as boomers age.
“The stats are running counter to what most researchers thought would happen,” says IIHS spokesman Russ Rader. “Ten years ago, we predicted we were going to have a problem with the elderly and automobile crashes and we are seeing the opposite occur.”
Social Trends
The study pointed out some other changes in society that may be influencing the findings. One of these is that the number of older drivers is increasing, and older drivers are holding on to their licenses longer. During the study period licensure rates increased by nearly 20% for those age 70 to 74, nearly 10% for those 75-79 years old, and about 5% for those 80 and older. Overall, a whopping 78% of people 70 and older have a driver’s license.
All told, the estimated 24.4 million drivers above 70 years old in 1997 has increased to 28 million in 2008. By comparison, the licensure rate of people aged 35 to 54 has dropped slightly during the same period. This may be due to an increase in urbanization and the increase of the population of baby boomers.
There are other factors that help pad these numbers such as the fact that cars are safer and easier to drive. Also states have begun to monitor older drivers more closely. New Hampshire and Illinois requiring road tests after age 75. Twenty-six states have set special driving provisions for seniors, including vision tests, shortening renewal periods and disallowing renewal-by-mail licensing.
Seattle Car Accident Attorney
Washington State is not yet one of the states that have senior citizen specific licensing laws, but there has been speculation as to whether changes to the rules are needed. This study may cast away any immediate plans for changes and warrant more observation on the state level to determine whether the safety changes are social or institutional due to policy changes.
One of the most compelling arguments put forward as to why fewer seniors are dying in car accidents even though their numbers are increasing is that baby boomer generation seniors are far more health conscious than generations prior. Overall seniors today are staying independent much longer, are more apt to enter fitness classes, eat healthier food, and live a more active lifestyle. These factors are key to surviving serious car accidents.
If you or someone you know have been killed or injured in a car accident it is imperative that you find legal council that can walk you through the insurance and litigation process. Call Phillips Webster for a consultation.
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