AAA: History of Falling Increases Crash Risk by 40 Percent for Older Drivers

aA record 12 million older adults will experience a fall annually. Older drivers with a history of falling are 40 percent more likely to be involved in crashes than their peers, according to a new study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Falls limit an older drivers’ ability to function behind the wheel and can make driving risky for themselves and others on the road.

“Drivers age 60 and older are involved in more than 400,000 crashes each year, and it’s important that we find ways to keep them and others safe on the road.” said Tracy Noble, Manager, Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “This research is critical because it shows that we can now use an older driver’s fall history to identify if they are at greater risk for a crash.”

In New Jersey https://us.vocuspr.com/Publish/523962/vcsPRAsset_523962_89240_26ace743-c40d-4a4b-936b-8673a7849fd6_0.jpg

The number of New Jerseyans age 65 and older reached more than 1.3 million in 2014, according to U.S. Census data. Senior citizens represent just under 20 percent of the driving population in New Jersey and while many are still very active and able to get behind the wheel, others are taking a significant risk on the road.

The report, Associations Between Falls and Driving Outcomes in Older Adults, is the latest research released in the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) project. Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus along with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety say that falls can increase crash risk in two ways:

Falls can result in a loss of functional ability (i.e. wrist fractures or a broken leg), which can make it difficult for older drivers to steer or brake to avoid a crash.
Falls can increase an individual’s fear of falling, which can lead to a decrease in physical activity that weakens driving skills.

“Falls often scare people into being less active, but decreasing physical activity can weaken muscles and coordination and make someone more likely to be in a crash,” said Noble. “Even a low impact fitness training program or driver improvement course can help safely extend an older driver’s years on the road.”

As a leading advocate for senior driver safety, AAA also offers a variety of programs and resources to help older drivers improve their driving performance and avoid crashes. For more information on AAA resources for older drivers, such as RoadWise online/classroom courses or other programs that help seniors better “fit” with their vehicles, visit www.SeniorDriving.AAA.com.

About LongROAD

Recognizing that lifestyle changes, along with innovative technologies and medical advancements, will have a significant impact on the driving experiences of the baby boomer generation, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has launched a multi-year research program to more fully understand the driving patterns and trends of older drivers in the United States. The LongROAD (Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers) Study is designed to generate the largest and most comprehensive data base about senior drivers in existence and will support in-depth studies of senior driving and mobility to better understand risks and develop effective countermeasures.

Established by AAA in 1947, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, publicly-supported charitable educational and research organization. Dedicated to saving lives and reducing injuries on our roads, the Foundation’s mission is to prevent crashes and save lives through research and education about traffic safety. The Foundation has funded over 300 research projects designed to discover the causes of traffic crashes, prevent them and minimize injuries when they do occur.

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