Do age-based mandatory assessments reduce older drivers' risk to other road users?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Traffic Safety
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Licensing policies for older drivers vary significantly between jurisdictions.
• New South Wales (NSW) mandates medical certificates and on-road tests for drivers aged 80 and 85+, respectively.
• Victoria has no age-based re-licensing assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare fatality outcomes of older drivers in Victoria and NSW.
• To assess the association between different licensing policies and driver fatality levels.
• To determine if age-based assessments impact road safety for older drivers and other road users.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of fatality rates for older drivers (80+ years) in Victoria and NSW.
• Fatality rates calculated per number of target drivers and per number of licensed drivers.
• Analysis controlled for passenger occupancy rates.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in overall fatality rates or fatalities among other road users when comparing populations.
• Victorian older drivers showed a marginally lower overall fatality rate and significantly lower fatalities for other road users per licensed driver.
• Higher passenger fatality rates in Victoria were explained by higher passenger occupancy rates, with no significant difference after adjustment.

Conclusions:

• Age-based mandatory assessment programs for older drivers show no demonstrable safety benefits.
• Findings align with previous research on older driver crash involvement.
• Policy implications suggest re-evaluating mandatory age-based driving assessments.