TRAFFIC SAFETY OF OLDER DRIVERS: A LONGITUDINAL EXAMINATION OF CRASHES AND VIOLATIONS

Older drivers, aged 65 and above, represent a growing share of the U.S. licensed driver population. Research shows that based on the miles they drive, older drivers are four times more likely to be in a crash than middle-aged drivers. Moreover, once in a crash, they are much more vulnerable to injury and death. In order to minimize the risk of crashes while retaining the mobility of this older driver population, approaches are needed for identifying those drivers who are at increased risk of motor vehicle crash involvement. This paper describes a longitudinal, as opposed to cross-sectional, analysis of highway safety data addressing this issue. Using North Carolina driver history files spanning the past 20 years, an initial cohort of nearly 400,000 drivers who were age 45 or more in 1970 is identified and followed over 20 years. Motor vehicle crash involvements and convictions for traffic violations are examined over time by driver age category, gender and race.