How Often Are Elderly Drivers at Fault in Accidents?

Anyone who engages in negligence behind the wheel can cause dangerous car accidents, and the elderly are no exception. While older drivers get a bad rap, the statistics are not as dire as many people think. However, there are certain areas of concern for older drivers. If you’ve been injured by a negligent driver of any age, you need an experienced Conway car accident attorney on your side.

The Statistics

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that the number of drivers over the age of 70 is growing, and advancing age can negatively impact driving ability. Drivers who are 70 and above have a higher fatal crash rate per mile driven than middle-aged drivers do. This said, however, the fatality rate for older drivers is on the decline.

Licensed Drivers

The number of those aged 70 and up who are licensed to drive in the United States rose by 92 percent from 1997 to 2022. Further – in that same span of time – the proportion of people who are 70 and over and who also have driver’s licenses went from 73 percent to 87 percent.

The Upside

The good news is that from 1982 to 2022, there were fewer traffic fatalities involving older drivers than in decades prior. And the traffic fatality rate per capita for those over the age of 70 has decreased by 45 percent since 1975. Further, in 2015, the fatal crash involvement rate for drivers in the age group of 70 to 79 dipped below the rate for drivers between the ages of 35 and 54 for the first time ever.

Older Drivers Tend to Make Good Choices

Older drivers tend to recognize the effects that age can have on their driving, and many make the modifications they need to be safer drivers, including:

• Driving fewer miles overall
• Limiting night driving or cutting it out completely
• Avoiding the driving situations, they find most challenging

Negligence and Car Accidents

The bottom line when it comes to car accidents is that anyone of any age can engage in negligent driving practices, and such negligence is the most common cause of dangerous crashes. Driver negligence can take a range of deadly forms that include all the following:

• Distraction
• Impairment
• Failure to follow all traffic rules and regulations
• Excess speed
• Exhaustion
• Aggression

If another driver leaves you injured in a car accident, a savvy car accident lawyer will skillfully advocate for a claim resolution that addresses your complete losses.

Turn to an Experienced Conway Car Accident Attorney for the Help You Need

The persuasive Conway, South Carolina, car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of L. Morgan Martin, P.A., are well acquainted with the legal challenges associated with car accident claims and will spare no effort in their fierce pursuit of a settlement that fairly covers every category of loss you experience. For more information about how we can help, please don’t wait to contact us online or call 843-248-3177 today.