In 2022, drivers aged 75 and older faced a fatality rate of 16.0 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. By 2023, 72% of new vehicles worldwide included driver monitoring. The data points to a gap between what vehicles watch for and what older drivers still struggle with, especially at night and when memory or health issues build up.
Key Takeaways
- The fatality rate for drivers aged 75+ was 16.0 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2022 (NHTSA)
- Average annual death rate for drivers aged 65+ was 9.6 per 100,000 licensed drivers in 2017
- In 2021, 19% of U.S. adults aged 65+ reported having trouble with nighttime driving (NSC survey)
- In 2018, 22% of adults aged 65+ reported they sometimes drive when feeling unwell (survey reported by AARP)
- PACE (Professional Assisted Driving Evaluations) programs cite that over 1,000 occupational and physical therapists provide driving evaluations in the U.S. (AOTA directory estimate)
- 30% of adults aged 65+ reported trouble remembering or concentrating in 2021
- 54% of drivers age 65+ performed worse on a divided-attention task than younger drivers (mean impairment score difference) in a driving simulator study by Lundberg et al., 2015
- Older adults are about 2x as likely as younger adults to have crash-related cognitive impairment (odds ratio reported as 2.0 in meta-analysis)
- The global ADAS market was valued at $42.2 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $148.4 billion by 2030
- By 2023, 72% of new vehicles worldwide had some form of driver monitoring (Eyes-On/attention monitoring) (Yole report)
- The global driver monitoring system market was $7.6 billion in 2023 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.5% through 2030
- The direct and indirect cost of motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. was $340 billion in 2019 (NHTSA)
- Annual cost of Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. was $321 billion in 2022 (Alzheimer’s Association)
- The cost-effectiveness of driver training for older adults improved outcomes at a reported incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €0 in one RCT intervention (published economic evaluation)
In 2022, drivers 75 and older had the highest fatality rate, highlighting urgent support for safer mobility.
Related reading
01 · Category
Driver Exposure1 stats
01
The fatality rate for drivers aged 75+ was 16.0 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2022 (NHTSA)
Interpretation
Driver Exposure Interpretation
For Driver Exposure, the fatality rate for drivers aged 75 and older was 16.0 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2022, showing a notably high risk level tied directly to how much these older drivers are on the road.
02 · Category
Safety Outcomes1 stats
01
Average annual death rate for drivers aged 65+ was 9.6 per 100,000 licensed drivers in 2017
Interpretation
Safety Outcomes Interpretation
For Safety Outcomes, drivers aged 65 and older faced an average annual death rate of 9.6 per 100,000 licensed drivers in 2017, underscoring the persistent risk for elderly motorists.
03 · Category
Industry Trends13 stats
01
In 2021, 19% of U.S. adults aged 65+ reported having trouble with nighttime driving (NSC survey)
02
In 2018, 22% of adults aged 65+ reported they sometimes drive when feeling unwell (survey reported by AARP)
03
PACE (Professional Assisted Driving Evaluations) programs cite that over 1,000 occupational and physical therapists provide driving evaluations in the U.S. (AOTA directory estimate)
04
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) lists 1,000+ practitioners for driving evaluation and rehabilitation (directory)
05
In 2022, the U.S. market size for driver monitoring services was estimated at $1.4 billion (TechSci Research)
06
In 2021, the global senior mobility market was valued at $88.7 billion (MarketsandMarkets)
07
In 2022, the global telehealth market was $54.8 billion and growing at CAGR 27.7% through 2030 (Fortune Business Insights)
08
In 2020, 24% of adults aged 65+ reported they had been advised by a doctor to reduce driving (JAMA Network study)
09
In 2020, 18% of older drivers reported they had stopped or limited driving due to health reasons (NHIS, CDC)
10
In 2020, 47% of older adults expressed interest in in-vehicle safety features that reduce crashes (Ford/Sense & Response survey)
11
In 2022, 38% of older adults said they would use a wearable driving assistance device (survey by Consumer Reports)
12
The global ridesharing market revenue was $303.0 billion in 2023 (Precedence Research)
13
In 2022, the global urban mobility market was $1.5 trillion (IMARC)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
For the Industry Trends angle, the figures suggest growing demand for elder-focused mobility and safety solutions, with 19% of U.S. adults 65+ reporting nighttime driving trouble in 2021 and a $1.4 billion U.S. driver monitoring services market in 2022 alongside an $88.7 billion global senior mobility market in 2022.
More related reading
04 · Category
Health & Ability9 stats
01
30% of adults aged 65+ reported trouble remembering or concentrating in 2021
02
54% of drivers age 65+ performed worse on a divided-attention task than younger drivers (mean impairment score difference) in a driving simulator study by Lundberg et al., 2015
03
Older adults are about 2x as likely as younger adults to have crash-related cognitive impairment (odds ratio reported as 2.0 in meta-analysis)
04
35% of older adults take 5+ medications (polypharmacy prevalence) in the U.S. (NHANES 2017–2018 estimate)
05
In a 2019 systematic review, hazard perception deficits were observed in older drivers compared with younger drivers (effect size summarized)
06
In a 2018 meta-analysis, older drivers had higher odds of at-fault crash involvement than middle-aged drivers (odds ratio reported)
07
In 2022, 30% of adults aged 65+ had hypertension (CDC)
08
In 2022, 25% of adults aged 65+ had diabetes (CDC)
09
In 2022, 16% of adults aged 65+ had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (CDC)
Interpretation
Health & Ability Interpretation
For the Health and Ability angle, multiple studies suggest that age-related cognitive and medication burden is a major driver of reduced driving performance, with 30% of adults 65+ reporting memory or concentration trouble and older drivers showing notably higher odds of impairments and crash involvement, including about 2 times higher risk of crash-related cognitive impairment and 54% performing worse on divided-attention tasks.
05 · Category
Market & Adoption12 stats
01
The global ADAS market was valued at $42.2 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $148.4 billion by 2030
02
By 2023, 72% of new vehicles worldwide had some form of driver monitoring (Eyes-On/attention monitoring) (Yole report)
03
The global driver monitoring system market was $7.6 billion in 2023 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.5% through 2030
04
In 2021, the global telematics market size was $3.3 billion for in-vehicle solutions (MarketsandMarkets)
05
The U.S. market for vehicle telematics services reached $8.0 billion in 2023 (Statista, based on industry estimates)
06
The global elder care market was $204.7 billion in 2021 and projected to reach $436.1 billion by 2030 (Fortune Business Insights)
07
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that 2023 model-year vehicles with LATCH were available on 52% of vehicles tested (IIHS)
08
The global smart vehicle market size was $368.3 billion in 2023 (Allied Market Research)
09
The global automotive HMI market was $25.4 billion in 2022 and projected $43.2 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research)
10
The global automotive seatbelt monitoring market was $1.2 billion in 2021 (MarketsandMarkets)
11
The global in-vehicle monitoring system market was $3.8 billion in 2022 (TechSci Research)
12
The global vehicle camera market was $23.4 billion in 2023 (Allied Market Research)
Interpretation
Market & Adoption Interpretation
The market is rapidly adopting technologies that improve safer driving for older adults as the driver monitoring system market is set to grow from $7.6 billion in 2023 at a 24.5% CAGR through 2030 and ADAS expands from $42.2 billion in 2021 to $148.4 billion by 2030, with 72% of new vehicles already including driver monitoring by 2023.
06 · Category
Cost Analysis6 stats
01
The direct and indirect cost of motor vehicle crashes in the U.S. was $340 billion in 2019 (NHTSA)
02
Annual cost of Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. was $321 billion in 2022 (Alzheimer’s Association)
03
The cost-effectiveness of driver training for older adults improved outcomes at a reported incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €0 in one RCT intervention (published economic evaluation)
04
On average, occupational therapy driving evaluation sessions in the U.S. are billed at $200–$400 per session (rate ranges reported by AOTA/AAOT directory and typical CPT summaries)
05
The global automotive cybersecurity market was valued at $4.0 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights)
06
The global ADAS aftermarket services market was valued at $7.1 billion in 2022 (IMARC)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost perspective, the scale of road crash spending in the U.S. reaching $340 billion in 2019 dwarfs other health and service costs, such as Alzheimer’s at $321 billion in 2022, which highlights why even incremental improvements like better driver training for older adults can be especially valuable in reducing the overall economic burden.
report visual · Key figures
Elderly driving risk and functional challenges
Older adults face measurable safety risks and functional limitations that can affect driving performance.
75
The fatality rate for drivers aged 75+ was 16.0 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2022 (NHTSA)
24%
In 2020, 24% of adults aged 65+ reported they had been advised by a doctor to reduce driving (JAMA Network study)
54%
54% of drivers age 65+ performed worse on a divided-attention task than younger drivers (mean impairment score differenc
35%
35% of older adults take 5+ medications (polypharmacy prevalence) in the U.S. (NHANES 2017–2018 estimate)
source-verifiedcrashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov · jamanetwork.com · sciencedirect.com2022
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). Elderly Driving Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/elderly-driving-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "Elderly Driving Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/elderly-driving-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "Elderly Driving Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/elderly-driving-statistics.
Sources & references
42 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+21 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)