The correlation between old age and driving has been a notable topic for many years.[1][2] In 2018, there were over 45 million licensed drivers in the United States over the age of 65—a 60% increase from 2000.[3] Driving is said to help older adults stay mobile and independent, but as their age increases the risk of potentially injuring themselves or others significantly increases as well. In 2019, drivers 65 years and older accounted for 8,760 motor vehicle traffic deaths, and 205,691 non-fatal accidents.[4] Due to their physical frailty, older drivers are more likely to be injured in an accident and more likely to die of that injury. When frailty is accounted for and older drivers are compared to younger persons driving the same amount the over-representation disappears.[5] According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a senior citizen is more likely than a younger driver to be at fault in an accident in which they are involved.[6] The most common violations include: failure to obey traffic signals, unsafe turns and passing, and failure to yield.[7]
Physical strength, mental acuity, and motor function begin to deteriorate as a person ages, but the degree of decline varies from person to person.[8] There is currently no age cutoff preventing an older adult from driving in the United States.[9] Although, there are some voluntary measures a person can utilize to check their driving abilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, precautionary measures include driving in daylight and good weather, planning the route before departing and receiving an eye exam once a year. Despite these measures, often, family members of an elderly person are faced with the responsibility of trying to get them to give up driving. This can be challenging because few senior citizens are voluntarily willing to give up their own car keys.[10]
Most state laws allow senior citizens to continue driving provided they meet the same requirements as younger adults.[11] Some states require persons above a specified age to take certain tests when renewing their licenses, up to and including a road test, or to receive a physician's certificate stating they are medically fit to operate a motor vehicle.[12] Some older adults may be permitted to drive, but with added limitations such as the amount of driving they can do, the hours in which they can drive, or the distance from home they can travel. These restrictions may be placed either by the law or their insurance provider which vary by state.[13]
As the process of aging varies from one person to the next, the age at which an elderly person's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle declines varies between persons. This creates controversy in regulating driving in the elderly. Senior citizens are seen by some as among the safest drivers on the road, as they generally do not speed or take risks, and they are more likely to wear seatbelts.[14] Others believe there should be increased testing to ensure older drivers are capable of safe driving.[1]
The AARP staunchly opposes testing elderly drivers on the basis of age as age discrimination, and argued the decision to retire from driving should be left to the individual.
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