The role of driver age has been investigated in relation to many road safety issues. Studies show that, notably, younger drivers have been subject to considerable scrutiny due to their inexperience managing unexpected events on the road as well as risk-taking behaviour. Drivers aged 16-19 are overrepresented in fatal crashes in terms of fatalities per population and number of licensed drivers. Similarly, drivers aged 65 and older are over-represented in crashes, particularly drivers aged 80 and older, partly because they are more fragile (susceptible to injury) than younger drivers and less likely to survive a serious collision. Drivers aged 65 and older are also more susceptible to age-related declines in reaction time and mobility, and can be affected by factors such as heart disease, visual impairment, stroke, dementia, and impairment due to prescription medication use. This fact sheet contains a review of the magnitude and trends of drivers, in four age groups, involved in fatal crashes in Canada using different indicators. These age groups include ages 16-19, 20-34, 35- 64, and 65 and older. This fact sheet, sponsored by State Farm®, summarizes the characteristics of fatally injured drivers according to age who were involved in collisions in Canada from 2000 to 2013. Data for this fact sheet are derived from TIRF’s National Fatality Database which is jointly funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and State Farm®. Fatality data from British Columbia from 2011 to 2013 were not available at the time that this fact sheet was prepared. As a result, Canadian data presented have been re-calculated to exclude this jurisdiction and make equitable comparisons. (Author/publisher)
Abstract