Assisting the older driver - SWOV

Current state of the art: crashes and injuries
Age group
18‐24 25‐29 30‐39 40‐49 50‐59 60‐64 65‐74 75+
All crashes 1.37 0.98 0.84 0.79 0.85 1.00 1.48 2.99
Crashes at intersections 1.23 0.90 0.79 0.83 0.94 1.23 1.65 3.41
Ignoring traffic signs or
lights
1.30 0.97 0.76 0.85 1.06 1.08 1.16 2.35
Behavioural mistake 1.67 1.08 0.90 0.71 0.73 0.70 1.19 2.23
Not yielding 1.01 0.81 0.77 0.90 1.05 1.47 2.00 4.24
Cause
Alcohol/medication 1.24 1.11 1.31 0.76 1.00 0.50 0.67 1.00
Fatigue/illness 1.73 1.02 0.58 0.63 0.78 1.79 2.65 5.67
External causes (e.g.,
animals, flat tyre, weather
conditions)
2.44 1.44 0.89 0.65 0.62 0.56 0.63 1.56
No cause (not responsible) 1.29 1.40 0.94 0.87 0.69 0.91 0.89 1.09
Driving/stopping 1.47 1.05 0.87 0.76 0.78 0.92 1.35 2.58
Intended movement
Turning right 1.09 0.83 0.86 0.96 1.33 1.41 1.24 1.33
Turning left 1.01 0.75 0.73 0.91 1.20 1.56 2.25 7.07
Changing lanes 1.76 1.09 0.91 0.62 0.75 0.70 0.85 1.05
Turn (round) 1.03 0.75 0.77 0.91 1.15 1.54 2.26 8.25
Join/exit through‐traffic 1.47 1.00 0.70 0.92 0.70 1.50 2.71 3.50
Join from/exit to a stop 1.14 1.03 0.73 1.04 0.68 1.00 2.33 2.50
Table 1.2. Ratios between the number of ʹguiltyʹ and ʹinnocentʹ drivers in various crash types
between two cars, by age group (1994‐1998). Source: Ministry of Transport, Public Works
and Water Management.
In the literature, these crash types and manoeuvres are also mentioned
frequently as being over‐represented in crashes of older drivers (e.g.,
Aizenberg & McKenzie, 1997; Hakamies‐Blomqvist, 1993, 1994a; McGwin &
Brown, 1999; Zhang et al., 1998). Crashes for which older drivers are
(relatively) less often responsible are crashes as a result of a behavioural
mistake, alcohol, or external causes, and while changing lanes, or turning
right. Mitchell and Suen (1997) and Garvey, Gates, and Pietrucha (1997) do
mention changing lanes as a crash cause that is over‐represented in crashes
of older drivers. However, the crashes they referred to occurred while
changing lanes to join or exit through‐traffic on a motorway. These intended
movements formed a separate category in Table 1.2, and were indeed noted
as being over‐represented in crashes for which older drivers were
responsible.
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