Older drivers are the safest says motoring charity (From Free Press Series)

Older drivers are the safest says motoring charity

3:50pm Monday 25th January 2010

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DRIVERS over 70 are no more likely to cause crashes than any other driver, and are considerably safer than younger drivers, according to a new report by a motoring charity.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) report revealed that between 2000 and 2006, 8% of drivers were over 70 and they were involved in about 4% of crashes that cause injury, while the 15% of drivers in their teens and 20s were involved in 34% of injury crashes.

On average, men in their 70s were found to make at least 100 more trips as car drivers per year than men in their late teens and 20s, according to the Older Drivers - Safe or Unsafe report.

In the next 20 years, the number of male drivers over 70 will double, while the number of female drivers will treble, the report predicted.

Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said: "The report contradicts the common assumption that older drivers are a danger on the roads.

"The IAM recommends that, rather than seeking to prevent older people from driving, we need to make them aware of the risks they face, and offer them driving assessments to help them cope with these risks."

Although older drivers were found to be safer than most other age groups, motorists over 85 were four times more likely to have caused a crash than to have been an innocent victim of one, the report said.

Drivers over 70 were found to be safer on bends and overtaking than 50 year olds, but were more at risk at roundabouts, junctions and slip roads on high speed roads.

To improve the safety of older drivers the IAM recommends encouraging driving assessments, informing older people of risks they may face, engineering safer roads and adapting vehicles to meet the needs of older drivers.

To help those older drivers who face having their licensed withdrawn, the IAM recommends restricting licensing, so they can continue to drive - but within a defined local area that avoids identified risk areas.

Mr Greig added: "The IAM strongly believes that there is no case for compulsory re-testing of older drivers at an arbitrary age.

"More research is needed on the best age to renew driving licences and there needs to be a wider debate on the introduction of restricted licensing."

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