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- In 2000, there were more than 18.9 million older drivers (age 70-plus) in the U.S. - a 36 percent increase from a decade
earlier. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
- As the overall U.S. population ages, the number of older drivers will grow significantly. In 20 years, it is projected that 30.7
million people over 70 will be licensed drivers. (NHTSA)
Increase in Older Drivers over the next 20 years (in millions)
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Real Risks for Older Drivers
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- In 2000, older adults made up 9 percent of the resident population but accounted for 13 percent of all traffic fatalities.
(NHTSA)
- In crashes of equal intensity, as a result of physical frailty, those 75 and older are three times more likely to die than a
20-year-old, and 80-year-olds are four times more likely. In 2002, male drivers 74 and older were two times as likely as women
to die in a crash. (NHTSA)
- The old and young have different types of crashes. For young people, speed, alcohol, and distraction often play roles. For
older people, they are much more likely to have troubles at intersections, and they are more likely than other drivers to be in
the vehicle that is struck by others. (NHTSA)
- The majority of older adults will outlive their ability to drive safely by about 7 to 10 years. (National Institute on Aging
study)
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