Seniors Involved in More Accidents Per Mile Driven

04/17/2010

Slower reflexes and impaired hearing are among the factors that may make driving more dangerous for seniors.

However, those living in rural areas may have no choice but to get behind the wheel. A recent report by Kansas State University researchers showed that motorists older than age 65 were more likely to be involved in accidents that result in injury or death than their younger counterparts.

"If you look at the number of total crashes in Kansas involving older drivers, it's not that much," Sunanda Dissanayake, associate professor at Kansas State, said. "That's because they don't drive as much as the rest of the population. But if you look at crash involvement per mile driven, that's very high for older drivers."

The report showed most accidents caused by older drivers occur during the daytime, with only 38% of respondents willing to drive during the night. Motorists were most likely to cause crashes while driving straight or turning left.

Many drivers in this age group are able to receive discounts on their auto insurance coverage if they have a clean driving record. However, those who are unable to drive safely may be stripped of their policy.

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