Report: New Mexico, Alaska Among Safest States for Older Drivers

New Mexico and Alaska are among the safest states for older drivers, a new report shows.

Research carried out by personal injury law firm Bader Scott analyzed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from 2017 to 2021 to identify states with the lowest percentage of elderly deaths in road accidents.

The report shows the overall number of over age 65 who died in U.S. crashes between 2017 and 2021 was 65,291, making it the age bracket with second-highest amount of road fatalities, behind drivers aged 25 to 30 (67,211 deaths).

New Mexico road accident deaths totaled 3,842 in that period, with 527 elderly deaths comprising 13.7% of that total. The data showed Louisiana was the safest state for drivers over the age of 65. Texas was in third place. Maine was considered the most dangerous state for drivers over the age of 65.

Alaska was in fifth place, with drivers over the age of 65 contributing to 14.08% of road fatalities. The state has just 689 deaths in total, where 97 deaths are over 65 years of age.

Wyoming was considered the sixth safest state for elderly drivers, with 14.09% of road accident deaths involving people over the age of 65.

Topics Personal Auto Mexico New Mexico Alaska