Myth Buster Quiz
Test Your Knowledge
True or False?
Test your knowledge about safe driving for a lifetime. Click the plus signs (+) to reveal the answers.
The answer is FALSE
As a group, older drivers are relatively safe drivers, and older drivers have fewer accidents overall compared to younger drivers. With greater maturity, experience and good judgment, older drivers are often safe drivers. While they do have more accidents per mile driven, especially after age 75, older drivers have fewer total accidents – testimony to the decision by many to limit their own driving.
Statistics on older drivers being involved in accidents with higher incidents of fatalities are misleading and low crash statistics are seldom cited by the media. Typically, fatality statistics are presented in support of the argument that older drivers are dangerous on the road. An often cited statistic is that fatal crash rates increase starting at age 75 and increase sharply after age 80. However, this is largely due to increased susceptibility to injury among older drivers, rather than an increased tendency to get into crashes. It is true that older adults (including passengers and pedestrians) are more likely to be seriously injured or killed in accidents – but this is mainly because aging bodies are more vulnerable. An accident that a 30-year-old might walk away from with only minor injuries could result in death for an 80-year-old.
The answer is TRUE
It is important to recognize what factors cause some older drivers to go from being safe drivers to unsafe drivers. Age alone doesn’t determine if a driver is safe on the road or that he or she should stop driving. Many older adults self-regulate to compensate for physical and cognitive changes that they experience as they age—to remain safe behind the wheel and keep others safe. If a particular driver is unsafe, it’s usually because of an underlying health issue.
Driving involves the complex intersection of physical health and cognitive abilities, as well as skills and knowledge of the road. If health conditions present challenges drivers may engage a knowledgeable professional to evaluate ways they can remain safe and on the road for a lifetime.
The answer is FALSE
Age does not determine whether a person will have to stop driving. Safe driving is about health and ability – not age. Two people who are the same age can have very different skills and abilities to drive safely. For example, the differences in skills between two 75-year-old drivers can be great – and much of that difference can be attributed to differences in fitness and health.
Few members of past generations, who had shorter lives and experienced greater health problems, even considered the possibility that they might be able to keep driving well into old age. Today, as we live longer and healthier lives, we want to stay mobile and involved – and continuing to drive becomes important to our ability to do that.
Studying the potential and the limitations of older drivers is relatively new in our society. As this science evolves, we are learning more and more about ways to keep drivers safe. For example, we now know that many people who have stopped driving (often after a health event) may be able to regain their ability to drive safely.
The answer is TRUE
As a group, older drivers are relatively safe. Much of the research on older drivers attributes this to the use of good judgment about driving -- referred to as “self-regulation.” This means that older drivers tend to limit the amount and type of driving as their skills decline. Avoiding challenging situations like night driving or rush hour driving is commonplace with older drivers and makes good sense.
The answer is TRUE
Overall approximately 12.4 percent of all drivers drove under the influence of alcohol within the last year. For drivers over the age of 25, the rate of driving under the influence of alcohol declines with age. As of 2008 two percent of drivers over the age of 65, drove under the influence of alcohol within the last year.
(Source: U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Figure 3.5 "Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol in the Past Year among Persons Aged 16 or Older, by Age: 2008.")
The answer is FALSE
Many older drivers say that if someone needs to talk to them about their driving they would prefer to hear from a spouse or children. If a spouse or other family member feels that an older driver is no longer safe, it’s time for a conversation. Limiting or stopping driving can be a very emotional topic for all involved.
In research conducted by The Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence and the MIT AgeLab, older drivers expressed their preference for who should speak with them about their driving, if it becomes necessary. We found that:
Married couples prefer to hear from a spouse or adult children. Outside the family, doctors are their top preference.
Single older adults prefer to hear from doctors, closely followed by adult children.
Most older adults put law-enforcement officials and other authorities low on the list.
For the conversation to be successful, it is also important that it be factual and well-planned. To help your family have conversations that are both sensitive and successful, click here.
The answer is FALSE
Research finds that 88% of drivers age 70 and older use a safety belt and 83% of drivers age 25 to 69 use a safety belt compared with 77% of drivers age 16 to 24.
Source: National Occupant Protection Use Survey, NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, 2007.
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