Miles Driven By Seniors Up, Fatal Crashes Down

Transportation experts say miles driven by older drivers are going up and fatal crashes involving seniors are coming down.

But experts told a National Transportation Safety Board forum this week that too often older drivers are forced to choose between safety and mobility because they have few other transportation options.

The meeting-goers said they sought to better understand the safety risks older drivers face. Baby boomers begin turning 65 in January. Within 15 years more than one in five drivers will be 65 or older.

Researcher Anne McCartt of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said it’s not clear why the fatal crash rate for older drivers has improved. She said it may be that older drivers may be in better physical condition than in the past.