Effect of vehicle and crash factors on older occupants

The expected substantial increase in people aged 65 or older is important for those concerned about transportation injuries. However, much of the previous research concentrates on older drivers and overlooks the fact that vehicle and crash factors may provide significant explanations of older occupant injury rates.

Differences across age groups are explored using two nationwide travel surveys, crash involvement, fatalities, and injuries from crash databases and an ordered probit model of injury severity.

Two noticeable differences that help explain injury risk are that older people are more likely to travel in passenger cars than younger people who frequently use light trucks, and that seriously injured older occupants are more likely to be involved in side-impact crashes than their younger counterparts.

Increased attention to vehicle engagement in side-impact crashes and to vehicle technologies that can help drivers avoid side collisions would be particularly helpful for older occupants.