Trends in the crash involvement of older drivers in Australia

Research from the USA and Great Britain indicates that the number of fatal crashes (as well as the rates of crashes of all levels of injury and property damage) involving older drivers declined between approximately 1997 and 2010 despite increases in the number of older drivers on the road and in their driving exposure. Differing results have been found in Australian research with the number of older driver fatalities having been steady and even slightly increasing between 2004 and 2013. The present study further examined trends in the crash involvement of older drivers in Australia to determine whether their involvement has been increasing or decreasing, and how this compares to trends for younger aged drivers. Crash, injury, population and licensure data were examined by age group for the years 2003-2012. There were increases in the population and licensure of drivers aged 65 years and older, while the total crashes, serious injuries, and fatalities remained steady for drivers aged 65-84 and increased for the oldest group (85+) between 2003 and 2012. Increasing trends were also found for drivers 85 and older for rates of serious or fatal injuries per head of population and per licensed driver. Population and licensure among younger age groups also increased but their crash numbers and crash rates remained steady or declined. The stable or slightly increasing fatal crash involvement of older drivers in Australia contrasts with the declining trends in the USA and Great Britain. Therefore, greater attention should be given to the road safety of older drivers in Australia.