What Percentage of Car Accidents Are Caused by Older Drivers?

How Many Accidents Are Caused By Elderly Drivers

In 2022, drivers aged 65 and older were involved in 7,870 fatal crashes in the United States. That’s 20% of all fatal traffic accidents that year.

It’s also a 4.7% increase from 2021, when there were 7,515 fatal crashes involving older drivers.

But here’s the important context:

• Older drivers made up 22% of all licensed drivers in the U.S. in 2022.
  
• So, while they’re involved in 20% of fatal crashes, they also make up 22% of all drivers, meaning their crash rate is roughly proportionate to their numbers on the road.

Now, let’s compare them with younger age groups.

• Drivers aged 25–34 were involved in:
  
  • 22.5% of fatal crashes
    
  • 22.6% of all crashes
    
• Meanwhile, drivers aged 65–74 were involved in:
  
  • 8.1% of fatal crashes
    
  • 7.1% of all crashes

In short, younger drivers are statistically more likely to be in accidents. However, when older drivers are in a crash, the consequences can be more serious. Drivers aged 70+ have higher death rates per 1,000 crashes than middle-aged drivers, and that’s primarily due to greater physical vulnerability to injuries.

Fatality Rates and Severity of Accidents Among Older Drivers

In 2022, 8,572 people died in motor vehicle crashes involving a driver aged 65 or older, the highest number recorded since at least 1975. Of those, 5,626 deaths were people aged 70 and above.

While these numbers are high, progress has been made over time. The fatality rate per capita among older adults has dropped by 45% since 1975, thanks to improvements in vehicle safety, road design, and growing awareness around age-related driving risks.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also shows that in crashes involving older drivers, most of the people killed were seniors themselves. In fact, 67% of the deaths were either the older driver or their older passenger:

• 58.6% were the older drivers themselves (5,024 deaths)
  
• 8.4% were passengers aged 65 or older riding with them (724 deaths)
  
• Just 2.3% were younger passengers riding with an older driver (201 deaths)

The remaining fatalities included:

• 20.4% from other vehicles involved (1,751 deaths)
  
• 10.2% were non-occupants, such as pedestrians or cyclists (872 deaths)

One of the biggest concerns isn’t how often older drivers crash but how serious the crashes are. In 2022, 71% of people killed in crashes involving drivers aged 70 and older were either:

• The older drivers themselves (59%) or
  
• Their passengers (12%)

Looking beyond fatalities, the insurance data tells us that drivers aged 65–69 have the lowest rates of property damage and collision claims. Claim rates do start to rise after age 70, but they’re still far lower than those of young, inexperienced drivers.

How Age-Related Changes Impact Driving Performance

As people age, some physical, cognitive, and visual abilities may naturally decline, and that can affect how safely they drive.

Tasks like turning left, merging, or changing lanes become harder when reaction time, vision, or mental processing slows down. These situations are where many older drivers struggle the most. Studies have consistently found that higher levels of physical, cognitive, or visual impairment are linked with a greater risk of crashes among older drivers. 

Medical conditions and medications also play a role. Many older adults take prescriptions that can slow reaction time or cause drowsiness, and when combined with age-related changes, the risk behind the wheel can increase.

What Types of Crashes Are Older Drivers More Likely to Have?

Compared to younger drivers, seniors are more likely to be involved in:

• Angle crashes
  
• Overtaking or merging crashes
  
• And especially intersection crashes
  

In fact, among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2022, 39% of crashes involving drivers aged 80 and older occurred at intersections with multiple vehicles, which is nearly double the rate for drivers aged 16–59.

One of the most common mistakes older drivers make is failing to yield the right-of-way, particularly at intersections. They’re also more likely to make inadequate surveillance errors like looking but not actually seeing another car or misjudging how fast it’s coming.

Do Older Drivers Adjust Their Habits?

Many older adults are aware of their changing abilities and self-limit their driving to stay safe. That might mean:

• Driving only during the day
  
• Avoiding highways or bad weather
  
• Taking fewer and shorter trips
  

An IIHS survey of 2,500 drivers aged 65 and older found that those with impairments in memory, vision, mobility, or chronic health issues were much more likely to adjust how and when they drive, hence avoiding risky conditions like night driving or icy roads.

But not everyone does. Some older adults, including those with significant cognitive decline, continue driving without making adjustments, which can raise the risk of serious accidents.

Bottom Line

In 2022, senior drivers were involved in 20% of all fatal crashes, but they also made up 22% of licensed drivers, showing their crash rate is in line with their share of the road.

Still, the risks are real. Drivers aged 70 and older have higher death rates per 1,000 crashes, and 39% of fatal car crashes involving drivers 80+ occurred at intersections, which is nearly double the involvement rate for younger drivers.

Wearing a seat belt, managing medications, and regularly checking one’s driver’s license status can help reduce those risks. In states like New York, where the older people population is rapidly growing, encouraging safe driving habits is more important than ever. 

These steps don’t just improve safety; they can also help keep car insurance costs down. Understanding how drivers’ age affects crash outcomes helps us better prepare for a future with more older drivers on the road.

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Sources

1. Number of Deadly Traffic Crashes Involving Older Drivers on the Rise. AAA Newsroom. Published 2023. Evaluated April 7, 2025.
   Link Here
2. Traffic Safety Facts 2022: Older Population. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Published 2023. Evaluated April 7, 2025.
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3. Countermeasures That Work: Older Drivers. NHTSA. Published 2023. Evaluated April 7, 2025.
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4. Older Drivers. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Published 2023. Evaluated April 7, 2025.
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5. Older Adult Road Users. National Safety Council – Injury Facts. Published 2023. Evaluated April 7, 2025.
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6. SeniorLiving.org. Driving Statistics: How Age Affects Driving Safety. Evaluated April 7, 2025.
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