Older Drivers: Stay Safe Behind the Wheel

"In 2017, there were almost 44 million licensed drivers aged 65 and older in the United States.

Driving helps older adults stay mobile and independent. But the risk of being injured or killed in a motor vehicle crash increases as people age.

Thankfully, older adults can take steps to stay safe on the roads.

Facts About Older Adult Drivers

• One in five drivers in the United States is 65 years or older.
• Older adult drivers are more than twice as likely to report having a medical problem that makes it difficult to travel, compared with drivers aged 24-64.
• Four in five older adults take one or more medications daily. Physical changes that occur with age can change the way the body reacts to medicines, causing more side effects and affecting the ability to concentrate and drive safely.
• In 2017, almost 7,700 older adults (aged 65+) were killed in motor vehicle crashes, and more than 257,000 were treated in emergency departments for motor vehicle crash injuries. This means that each day, approximately 20 older adults are killed, and an additional 700 are injured in motor vehicle crashes..."
  Older drivers