Older women drivers: fatal crashes in good conditions.
OBJECTIVE
By 2030, there will be approximately 70 million older people (65+) in the United States, more than twice their number in 2000. This increase also represents an increased percentage of older licensed drivers. Thus, it is important to understand the special circumstances of how they may be involved in traffic crashes.


METHODS
This study used the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), which is a census of all fatal crashes occurring in the United States over the last two decades maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to study the special characteristics of fatal crashes involving females older than 70 years.


RESULTS
The results indicate that senior women are overrepresented in crashes that occur under the "safest" conditions, on roads with low speed limits, in daylight, when traffic is low (not at rush hour), when the weather is good, and when the roads are dry.
Baker
Tara Kelley
TK
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 11710 Beltsville Drive, Suite 300, Calverton, MD 20705, USA. kelley-b@pire.org
Falb
Timothy
T
Voas
Robert
R
Lacey
John
J
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000639:trends; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014887:Weather; D014930:Women