It is critical to understand the risks that you face on the road as an older adult. If you become involved in an accident, you could have an especially difficult time recovering from the crash. In fact, many older adults have a higher chance of suffering serious injuries or dying when a collision occurs.
Reviewing risks associated with motor vehicle collisions is paramount. Additionally, going over data on older adults and traffic collisions should serve as a reminder of how serious this problem is.
Traffic accident injuries and deaths among older adults
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that nearly 200,000 older adults (those 65 and over) received treatment in emergency departments due to injuries sustained in traffic accidents in 2020. Furthermore, traffic collisions claimed the lives of roughly 7,500 older adults over the course of 2020. To look at this data from another angle, an average of 540 older adults suffered injuries and 20 died on a daily basis in 2020.
Older adults and traffic crash risks
The CDC states that drivers over the age of 70 have higher traffic accident fatality rates in comparison to drivers between 35 and 54. Older adults are often more vulnerable when collisions occur, and age-related declines, diseases and certain medications can affect an older adult’s ability to drive. In 2020, nearly 48 million older adults had a driver’s license in the U.S.
Sadly, reckless drivers cause many serious accidents that shatter older adults’ lives. If you are struggling to recover from an accident caused by a negligent driver as an older adult, stand up for your rights immediately.