Motor Vehicle Deaths - Ages 65+

Motor Vehicle Deaths - Ages 65+ in United States

United States

Despite being largely preventable, motor vehicles remain a leading cause of unintentional death in the United States, with over 36,000 crash deaths each year. Since 2000, the number of licensed drivers ages 65 and older has increased by 68%, totaling 48 million in 2020. While driving can help older adults remain mobile and independent, the risk of being injured or dying in a traffic accident increases with age. In 2019, adults ages 65 and older surpassed other age ranges for the highest rates of motor vehicle traffic deaths. Common age-related problems that can affect older adults’ driving abilities include changes in vision, cognition and motor ability. Medical conditions that are more common among older adults, such as dementia, arthritis, stroke and cataracts, can interfere with clear thinking and consciousness or make driving more painful and difficult. 

In 2020, over 6,500 people ages 65 and older were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, accounting for 17% of all traffic fatalities. Deaths from traffic crashes cost $55 billion in medical and work loss expenses annually.

The prevalence of motor vehicle deaths is higher among:

• Men ages 65 and older compared with women of the same age. 
• Adults ages 80 years or older compared with adults ages 65-79. 

Further, one study found that states with higher cigarette smoking prevalences also had higher motor vehicle fatality rates.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified strategies for staying safe on the road, including:

• Always wearing a seatbelt as a driver or passenger. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched the Click It or Ticket campaign to raise awareness that seat belts save lives.
• Driving when weather and daylight conditions are safest, as poor driving conditions can increase the likelihood of crashes. 
• Not drinking and driving, as alcohol can reduce coordination and impair judgment. 
• Preparing a customizable MyMobility Plan to stay mobile and independent. 
• Reviewing your medications to reduce side effects or drug interactions. 

Driver refresher courses are available for older adults who wish to maintain or improve their driving skills, such as the RoadWise Driver offered by AAA. Tools are available to evaluate driving ability, which can help older drivers decide whether to continue driving.

Healthy People 2030 has goals to reduce deaths from motor vehicle crashes and to reduce the proportion of deaths of car passengers who weren’t buckled in.

Becker, Mary J., and Thomas J. Zlatoper. “Relationship Between Smoking and Motor Vehicle Death Rates in the U.S.” Atlantic Economic Journal 50, no. 1–2 (June 2022): 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11293-022-09746-5.

National Center for Statistics and Analysis. “Older Population: 2020 Data.” Traffic Safety Facts. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, January 2023. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813341.

Pomidor, Alice. “Clinician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers.” New York: The American Geriatrics Society, 2019. https://www.safemobilityfl.com/pdfs/CliniciansGuide/CliniciansGuideOlderDriversComplete4thEdition.pdf.

Spencer, Merianne, Holly Hedegaard, and Matthew Garnett. “Motor Vehicle Traffic Death Rates by Sex, Age Group, and Road-User Type: United States, 1999-2019.” NCHS Data Brief No. 400. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, March 18, 2021. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:101759.

Yellman, Merissa A., and Erin K. Sauber-Schatz. “Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths — United States and 28 Other High-Income Countries, 2015 and 2019.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 71, no. 26 (July 1, 2022): 837–43. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7126a1.