The expected substantial increase in people aged 65+ years is important for those concerned with transportation injuries. However, much of the prior research concentrates on older drivers and overlooks the fact that vehicle and crash factors may provide significant explanations of older occupant injury rates. In this research, differences across age groups are explored using 2 nationwide travel surveys, crash involvement, fatalities, and injuries from crash databases and an ordered probit model of injury severity. Two noticeable differences that help explain injury risk are that older people are more likely to travel in passenger cars than younger people who frequently use light trucks, and that seriously injured older occupants are more likely to be involved in side-impact crashes than younger drivers. Increased attention to vehicle engagement in side-impact crashes and to vehicle technologies that can help drivers avoid side collisions would be especially helpful for older occupants.
Samenvatting