Study: Senior Drivers Safer Than Teens
You might think that gray-haired driver next to you is a danger, but in reality it’s the teenager behind the wheel you should be more worried about, according to a new study by the Rand Corporation.
The study finds that drivers 65 and older are one-third as likely to cause accidents as drivers ages 15 to 24. "By far, it is the youngest drivers who pose the greatest risk to traffic safety," researcher David Loughran, a Rand senior economist, said in a statement. The study found that older drivers account for roughly 15 percent of U.S. drivers, but that they cause only 7 percent of accidents, a rate far lower than young drivers.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that older drivers are more frail and are seven times more likely to die in a two-car accident than younger drivers, the study found.
Senior Drivers a Hazard? Young Are Worst: U.S. Study (Reuters)
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Age is a factor, but attitude is most important.
Well, I am 16 years old, and an old lady nearly backed into my car today in a drive-thru. She obviously didn't look back and I had to honk twice just to get her to stop. She did not apologize (wave) or anything. Just later reversed more after I did to put room between the two cars. It got me really mad, I know teenagers are dangerous though, because I have seen my friends drive (and myself) who sometimes don't think right away. It helps when a parents there to tell you what to do.
Please note: this report doesn't say that senior drivers are SAFE drivers. It only states that senior drivers are SAFE"R" drivers then teenagers. That's true, but, nonetheless, senior drivers are dangerous drivers when compare to "adult" drivers (b/n 25-55 yr. old). I've seen seniors backing or driving into someone else' car when parking (and the other car was parked), and I've seen several news reports on senior drivers running into school children while picking up their grandkids from schools (mis-stepped onto the gas and thinking that it's the brake pedal). One time, there was a senior driver driving onto on-coming traffic on a 2 lane road. She was stopped by the cop and I (I was driving in front of the cop, and the old lady was driving onto me - I flashed the headlights and horns, and so did the cop). The excuse - she thought it was a 1 way street, and she wasn't able to see the yellow divider on the road). Other than dui or dwi, and some special crazy people, adult drivers are safest, followed by seniors, followed by teens. (This has also been confirmed by studies taken by various insurance companies.)
Well there's a huge difference between 65 years old and 85 years old. I assume people under the age of 75 make up a large majority of senior drivers.
Seniors tend to be very set in their routines. Driving to the local store, or church is often easy for them, but they may also be dangerous in unfamiliar places.
Seniors are better driver because they are more experienced, however, on the other hand, teenagers do have better response in driving.
In my area, tourists are more dangerous than teens, seniors and those folks who choose to use their vehicle as a phone booth.
In my area, tourists are more dangerous than teens, seniors and those folks who choose to use their vehicle as a phone booth.
I think all teen drivers should be identified as new drivers - check out this website for fun sporty products to use while your teen is learning to drive. www.rookiedriver.net
Maybe they'll come up with some senior driver products - although good luck "forcing" your parents to use them. It is pretty impossible to take away their cars!
i think that seniors drive slow also they smell really bad:) do you think seniors smell really bad? cause i do!
Its the seniors making everyone else bad drivers because there so slow and idiotic it pisses everyone off and makes them more agressive
despite comments made on this site and article research by David Loughran, a RAND senior economist and professor at the Pardee RAND. It does state the rate of accidents but not the fatality rate from both, of course younger drivers are more prone to accidents but are these simple fender benders comparable to mistaking the gas for the brake excuse and mowing down a couple people as senior drivers do?