Fatality Facts 2022Older people
Overview
In 2020, motor vehicle crashes accounted for less than 1% of fatalities among people 70 and older (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2021).
People ages 70 and older are less likely to be licensed to drive compared with younger people, and drivers 70 and older also drive fewer miles. However, older drivers are keeping their licenses longer and driving more miles than in the past.
Per mile traveled, fatal crash rates increase noticeably starting at age 70-74 and are highest among drivers 85 and older. The increased fatal crash risk among older drivers is largely due to their increased susceptibility to injury, particularly chest injuries, and medical complications, rather than an increased tendency to get into crashes (Cicchino, 2015).
The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
Posted June 2024.
Trends
A total of 5,626 people ages 70 and older died in motor vehicle crashes in 2022. This is a 49% increase since 1975. Deaths of older people increased by 7% from 2021 to 2022. Though deaths are increasing, the rate of fatalities per capita among older people has decreased 45% since 1975.
Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 people 70 years and older, 1975-2022 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Population | Deaths | Rate |
1975 | 14,563,945 | 3,775 | 25.9 |
1976 | 14,960,120 | 3,896 | 26.0 |
1977 | 15,401,249 | 3,859 | 25.1 |
1978 | 15,876,541 | 3,824 | 24.1 |
1979 | 16,388,617 | 3,772 | 23.0 |
1980 | 16,897,977 | 3,861 | 22.8 |
1981 | 17,322,714 | 3,871 | 22.3 |
1982 | 17,783,888 | 3,655 | 20.6 |
1983 | 18,233,751 | 3,734 | 20.5 |
1984 | 18,662,938 | 4,052 | 21.7 |
1985 | 19,072,785 | 4,206 | 22.1 |
1986 | 19,463,480 | 4,445 | 22.8 |
1987 | 19,890,817 | 4,555 | 22.9 |
1988 | 20,302,280 | 4,925 | 24.3 |
1989 | 20,719,397 | 4,943 | 23.9 |
1990 | 21,164,283 | 4,844 | 22.9 |
1991 | 21,751,897 | 4,843 | 22.3 |
1992 | 22,321,217 | 4,901 | 22.0 |
1993 | 22,800,673 | 5,221 | 22.9 |
1994 | 23,243,845 | 5,425 | 23.3 |
1995 | 23,693,757 | 5,509 | 23.3 |
1996 | 24,056,323 | 5,578 | 23.2 |
1997 | 24,408,817 | 5,872 | 24.1 |
1998 | 24,793,551 | 5,798 | 23.4 |
1999 | 25,092,805 | 5,657 | 22.5 |
2000 | 25,559,879 | 5,379 | 21.0 |
2001 | 25,797,467 | 5,425 | 21.0 |
2002 | 26,005,326 | 5,332 | 20.5 |
2003 | 26,200,946 | 5,363 | 20.5 |
2004 | 26,337,518 | 5,106 | 19.4 |
2005 | 26,658,669 | 5,047 | 18.9 |
2006 | 26,884,798 | 4,636 | 17.2 |
2007 | 27,135,517 | 4,631 | 17.1 |
2008 | 27,521,034 | 4,291 | 15.6 |
2009 | 27,786,270 | 3,995 | 14.4 |
2010 | 27,957,657 | 4,171 | 14.9 |
2011 | 28,472,279 | 4,071 | 14.3 |
2012 | 29,152,093 | 4,113 | 14.1 |
2013 | 30,040,362 | 4,150 | 13.8 |
2014 | 30,864,009 | 4,206 | 13.6 |
2015 | 31,624,778 | 4,427 | 14.0 |
2016 | 32,406,486 | 4,848 | 15.0 |
2017 | 33,964,043 | 5,037 | 14.8 |
2018 | 35,290,306 | 5,026 | 14.2 |
2019 | 36,592,368 | 5,232 | 14.3 |
2020 | 37,785,698 | 4,593 | 12.2 |
2021 | 37,453,633 | 5,245 | 14.0 |
2022 | 39,163,430 | 5,626 | 14.4 |
Seventy-one percent of people 70 and older killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2022 were passenger vehicle occupants, and 18% were pedestrians. Since 1997, deaths of older passenger vehicle occupants have declined 16%, and deaths of older pedestrians have risen 7%. Although few older adults are killed while riding motorcycles, this number has risen. Over 11 times as many motorcyclists 70 years and older were killed in 2022 than in 1997.
Motor vehicle crash deaths among people 70 and older, 1975-2022 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Passenger vehicle occupant deaths | Pedestrian deaths | Motorcyclist deaths | Other motor vehicle deaths | All motor vehicle deaths | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | |
1975 | 2,302 | 61 | 1,348 | 36 | 5 | <1 | 120 | 3 | 3,775 |
1976 | 2,490 | 64 | 1,291 | 33 | 9 | <1 | 106 | 3 | 3,896 |
1977 | 2,370 | 61 | 1,383 | 36 | 14 | <1 | 92 | 2 | 3,859 |
1978 | 2,515 | 66 | 1,214 | 32 | 16 | <1 | 79 | 2 | 3,824 |
1979 | 2,391 | 63 | 1,277 | 34 | 16 | <1 | 88 | 2 | 3,772 |
1980 | 2,399 | 62 | 1,344 | 35 | 21 | 1 | 97 | 3 | 3,861 |
1981 | 2,495 | 64 | 1,278 | 33 | 22 | 1 | 76 | 2 | 3,871 |
1982 | 2,430 | 66 | 1,124 | 31 | 16 | <1 | 85 | 2 | 3,655 |
1983 | 2,547 | 68 | 1,081 | 29 | 29 | 1 | 77 | 2 | 3,734 |
1984 | 2,764 | 68 | 1,164 | 29 | 32 | 1 | 92 | 2 | 4,052 |
1985 | 2,933 | 70 | 1,170 | 28 | 17 | <1 | 86 | 2 | 4,206 |
1986 | 3,166 | 71 | 1,157 | 26 | 18 | <1 | 104 | 2 | 4,445 |
1987 | 3,276 | 72 | 1,160 | 25 | 23 | 1 | 96 | 2 | 4,555 |
1988 | 3,540 | 72 | 1,271 | 26 | 29 | 1 | 85 | 2 | 4,925 |
1989 | 3,658 | 74 | 1,180 | 24 | 14 | <1 | 91 | 2 | 4,943 |
1990 | 3,525 | 73 | 1,195 | 25 | 26 | 1 | 98 | 2 | 4,844 |
1991 | 3,690 | 76 | 1,044 | 22 | 22 | <1 | 87 | 2 | 4,843 |
1992 | 3,801 | 78 | 997 | 20 | 18 | <1 | 85 | 2 | 4,901 |
1993 | 4,076 | 78 | 1,012 | 19 | 30 | 1 | 103 | 2 | 5,221 |
1994 | 4,291 | 79 | 1,021 | 19 | 25 | <1 | 88 | 2 | 5,425 |
1995 | 4,368 | 79 | 1,008 | 18 | 16 | <1 | 117 | 2 | 5,509 |
1996 | 4,492 | 81 | 951 | 17 | 24 | <1 | 111 | 2 | 5,578 |
1997 | 4,748 | 81 | 931 | 16 | 27 | <1 | 166 | 3 | 5,872 |
1998 | 4,683 | 81 | 965 | 17 | 28 | <1 | 122 | 2 | 5,798 |
1999 | 4,587 | 81 | 885 | 16 | 30 | 1 | 155 | 3 | 5,657 |
2000 | 4,406 | 82 | 807 | 15 | 42 | 1 | 124 | 2 | 5,379 |
2001 | 4,389 | 81 | 878 | 16 | 42 | 1 | 116 | 2 | 5,425 |
2002 | 4,287 | 80 | 845 | 16 | 50 | 1 | 150 | 3 | 5,332 |
2003 | 4,377 | 82 | 777 | 14 | 56 | 1 | 153 | 3 | 5,363 |
2004 | 4,113 | 81 | 763 | 15 | 48 | 1 | 182 | 4 | 5,106 |
2005 | 4,016 | 80 | 777 | 15 | 79 | 2 | 175 | 3 | 5,047 |
2006 | 3,681 | 79 | 707 | 15 | 76 | 2 | 172 | 4 | 4,636 |
2007 | 3,661 | 79 | 726 | 16 | 89 | 2 | 155 | 3 | 4,631 |
2008 | 3,401 | 79 | 603 | 14 | 127 | 3 | 160 | 4 | 4,291 |
2009 | 3,194 | 80 | 578 | 14 | 91 | 2 | 132 | 3 | 3,995 |
2010 | 3,246 | 78 | 628 | 15 | 137 | 3 | 160 | 4 | 4,171 |
2011 | 3,109 | 76 | 637 | 16 | 147 | 4 | 178 | 4 | 4,071 |
2012 | 3,081 | 75 | 707 | 17 | 150 | 4 | 175 | 4 | 4,113 |
2013 | 3,123 | 75 | 666 | 16 | 177 | 4 | 184 | 4 | 4,150 |
2014 | 3,136 | 75 | 729 | 17 | 124 | 3 | 217 | 5 | 4,206 |
2015 | 3,346 | 76 | 719 | 16 | 164 | 4 | 198 | 4 | 4,427 |
2016 | 3,586 | 74 | 822 | 17 | 207 | 4 | 233 | 5 | 4,848 |
2017 | 3,763 | 75 | 821 | 16 | 232 | 5 | 221 | 4 | 5,037 |
2018 | 3,665 | 73 | 911 | 18 | 212 | 4 | 238 | 5 | 5,026 |
2019 | 3,810 | 73 | 888 | 17 | 251 | 5 | 283 | 5 | 5,232 |
2020 | 3,251 | 71 | 777 | 17 | 267 | 6 | 298 | 6 | 4,593 |
2021 | 3,783 | 72 | 859 | 16 | 307 | 6 | 296 | 6 | 5,245 |
2022 | 3,998 | 71 | 995 | 18 | 310 | 6 | 323 | 6 | 5,626 |
In 2022, 59% of the deaths in crashes involving passenger vehicle drivers 70 and older were the older drivers themselves, and 12% were their passengers. Twenty-nine percent of deaths were occupants of other vehicles or motorcyclists, bicyclists or pedestrians. In contrast, in crashes involving at least one passenger vehicle driver younger than 30, 38% of the deaths were the drivers younger than 30, 17% were their passengers, and 45% were occupants of other vehicles or motorcyclists, bicyclists or pedestrians.
Deaths in crashes involving passenger vehicle drivers younger than 30, ages 30-69, and 70 and older, by type of road user, 2022 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Deaths involving at least one driver younger than 30 | Deaths involving at least one driver age 30-69 | Deaths involving at least one driver 70 or older | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Deaths in passenger vehicles with a driver that age | ||||||
Drivers | 5,372 | 38 | 11,079 | 46 | 3,085 | 59 |
Passengers | 2,434 | 17 | 2,987 | 12 | 637 | 12 |
Deaths of other passenger vehicle occupants | 3,241 | 23 | 3,440 | 14 | 615 | 12 |
Motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians | 3,264 | 23 | 6,577 | 27 | 915 | 17 |
Total* | 14,404 | 100 | 24,249 | 100 | 5,276 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Population and mileage rates
Looked at by age group, 2022 motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 population begin increasing for males at ages 75-79 and females at age 70-74. Males had substantially higher death rates than females for ages 16 and older.
Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 people by age and sex, 2022 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Male | Female | Total | ||||||
Population | Deaths | Rate | Population | Deaths | Rate | Population | Deaths* | Rate | |
<16 | 32,661,995 | 767 | 2.3 | 31,171,958 | 567 | 1.8 | 63,833,953 | 1,336 | 2.1 |
16-19 | 8,828,942 | 1,679 | 19.0 | 8,410,284 | 723 | 8.6 | 17,239,226 | 2,406 | 14.0 |
20-24 | 11,601,988 | 3,036 | 26.2 | 11,103,791 | 1,099 | 9.9 | 22,705,779 | 4,140 | 18.2 |
25-29 | 11,352,742 | 3,069 | 27.0 | 10,840,422 | 1,015 | 9.4 | 22,193,164 | 4,088 | 18.4 |
30-34 | 11,836,820 | 2,930 | 24.8 | 11,471,316 | 1,079 | 9.4 | 23,308,136 | 4,016 | 17.2 |
35-39 | 11,302,300 | 2,651 | 23.5 | 10,965,649 | 867 | 7.9 | 22,267,949 | 3,521 | 15.8 |
40-44 | 10,817,889 | 2,397 | 22.2 | 10,609,527 | 783 | 7.4 | 21,427,416 | 3,181 | 14.8 |
45-49 | 9,844,989 | 2,056 | 20.9 | 9,779,109 | 704 | 7.2 | 19,624,098 | 2,762 | 14.1 |
50-54 | 10,434,641 | 2,177 | 20.9 | 10,372,906 | 747 | 7.2 | 20,807,547 | 2,926 | 14.1 |
55-59 | 10,373,923 | 2,222 | 21.4 | 10,593,091 | 771 | 7.3 | 20,967,014 | 2,999 | 14.3 |
60-64 | 10,297,980 | 2,241 | 21.8 | 10,820,443 | 724 | 6.7 | 21,118,423 | 2,968 | 14.1 |
65-69 | 8,873,901 | 1,707 | 19.2 | 9,757,521 | 635 | 6.5 | 18,631,422 | 2,345 | 12.6 |
70-74 | 7,036,771 | 1,348 | 19.2 | 8,120,246 | 597 | 7.4 | 15,157,017 | 1,946 | 12.8 |
75-79 | 4,909,686 | 993 | 20.2 | 5,951,314 | 548 | 9.2 | 10,861,000 | 1,543 | 14.2 |
80-84 | 2,825,159 | 663 | 23.5 | 3,834,386 | 403 | 10.5 | 6,659,545 | 1,070 | 16.1 |
≥85 | 2,283,827 | 633 | 27.7 | 4,202,041 | 429 | 10.2 | 6,485,868 | 1,067 | 16.5 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Using miles traveled data from the National Household Travel Survey, the rate of passenger vehicle driver fatal crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled in 2016-17 begins to increase at ages 70-74. Drivers 85 and older had the highest rate of fatal crash involvement during that period.
Passenger vehicle fatal crash rates per 100 million miles traveled, by driver age, April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Age | Crash involvements | Miles | Rate |
16-19 | 3,023 | 62,410,423,548 | 4.8 |
20-24 | 5,615 | 172,158,820,127 | 3.3 |
25-29 | 4,963 | 213,487,256,997 | 2.3 |
30-34 | 4,052 | 228,055,122,817 | 1.8 |
35-39 | 3,290 | 235,513,924,779 | 1.4 |
40-44 | 2,933 | 221,981,057,921 | 1.3 |
45-49 | 2,868 | 211,720,351,245 | 1.4 |
50-54 | 2,954 | 229,997,362,385 | 1.3 |
55-59 | 2,791 | 216,227,224,007 | 1.3 |
60-64 | 2,397 | 195,073,278,082 | 1.2 |
65-69 | 2,003 | 149,557,419,942 | 1.3 |
70-74 | 1,468 | 87,458,953,733 | 1.7 |
75-79 | 1,094 | 51,982,073,748 | 2.1 |
80-84 | 882 | 20,669,598,896 | 4.3 |
≥85 | 858 | 11,313,581,400 | 7.6 |
Total* | 41,234 | 2,307,606,449,627 | 1.8 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Crash types
Among passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2022, the proportion in multiple-vehicle crashes at intersections increases steadily with age starting at 65-69. Multiple-vehicle crashes at intersections accounted for 39% of fatal crash involvements among drivers 80 and older, compared with 21% for drivers ages 16-59.
Passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes by age and crash type, 2022 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Multiple-vehicle intersection crashes | Other multiple-vehicle crashes | Single-vehicle intersection crashes | Other single-vehicle crashes | All crashes* | |||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
16-19 | 779 | 24 | 1,065 | 33 | 177 | 6 | 1,191 | 37 | 3,212 | 100 |
20-24 | 1,138 | 21 | 2,171 | 39 | 308 | 6 | 1,933 | 35 | 5,550 | 100 |
25-29 | 1,042 | 20 | 2,160 | 42 | 261 | 5 | 1,670 | 33 | 5,133 | 100 |
30-34 | 972 | 20 | 2,086 | 42 | 275 | 6 | 1,629 | 33 | 4,962 | 100 |
35-39 | 876 | 20 | 1,891 | 44 | 201 | 5 | 1,323 | 31 | 4,291 | 100 |
40-44 | 812 | 22 | 1,589 | 42 | 190 | 5 | 1,148 | 31 | 3,739 | 100 |
45-49 | 656 | 21 | 1,437 | 45 | 124 | 4 | 951 | 30 | 3,168 | 100 |
50-54 | 686 | 22 | 1,314 | 43 | 153 | 5 | 927 | 30 | 3,080 | 100 |
55-59 | 665 | 22 | 1,310 | 44 | 173 | 6 | 853 | 28 | 3,001 | 100 |
60-64 | 601 | 22 | 1,173 | 43 | 144 | 5 | 796 | 29 | 2,714 | 100 |
65-69 | 597 | 27 | 928 | 42 | 95 | 4 | 607 | 27 | 2,227 | 100 |
70-74 | 562 | 30 | 708 | 38 | 75 | 4 | 509 | 27 | 1,854 | 100 |
75-79 | 475 | 33 | 523 | 36 | 62 | 4 | 388 | 27 | 1,448 | 100 |
80-84 | 324 | 34 | 345 | 36 | 49 | 5 | 232 | 24 | 950 | 100 |
≥85 | 367 | 46 | 234 | 29 | 36 | 4 | 165 | 21 | 802 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Pedestrians
Among adults 70 and older, the rate of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population in 2022 was lowest for people ages 85 and above. For ages 13 and older, the rate of pedestrian deaths per capita was higher for males than females.
Pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people by age and sex, 2022 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Male | Female | Total | ||||||
Population | Deaths | Rate | Population | Deaths | Rate | Population | Deaths* | Rate | |
<13 | 25,981,412 | 78 | 0.3 | 24,812,058 | 63 | 0.3 | 50,793,470 | 141 | 0.3 |
13-15 | 6,680,583 | 45 | 0.7 | 6,359,900 | 32 | 0.5 | 13,040,483 | 77 | 0.6 |
16-19 | 8,828,942 | 108 | 1.2 | 8,410,284 | 67 | 0.8 | 17,239,226 | 175 | 1.0 |
20-24 | 11,601,988 | 285 | 2.5 | 11,103,791 | 140 | 1.3 | 22,705,779 | 426 | 1.9 |
25-29 | 11,352,742 | 423 | 3.7 | 10,840,422 | 170 | 1.6 | 22,193,164 | 594 | 2.7 |
30-34 | 11,836,820 | 457 | 3.9 | 11,471,316 | 223 | 1.9 | 23,308,136 | 683 | 2.9 |
35-39 | 11,302,300 | 518 | 4.6 | 10,965,649 | 175 | 1.6 | 22,267,949 | 694 | 3.1 |
40-44 | 10,817,889 | 468 | 4.3 | 10,609,527 | 189 | 1.8 | 21,427,416 | 657 | 3.1 |
45-49 | 9,844,989 | 382 | 3.9 | 9,779,109 | 162 | 1.7 | 19,624,098 | 545 | 2.8 |
50-54 | 10,434,641 | 427 | 4.1 | 10,372,906 | 152 | 1.5 | 20,807,547 | 581 | 2.8 |
55-59 | 10,373,923 | 490 | 4.7 | 10,593,091 | 163 | 1.5 | 20,967,014 | 657 | 3.1 |
60-64 | 10,297,980 | 519 | 5.0 | 10,820,443 | 172 | 1.6 | 21,118,423 | 694 | 3.3 |
65-69 | 8,873,901 | 360 | 4.1 | 9,757,521 | 140 | 1.4 | 18,631,422 | 502 | 2.7 |
70-74 | 7,036,771 | 277 | 3.9 | 8,120,246 | 123 | 1.5 | 15,157,017 | 400 | 2.6 |
75-79 | 4,909,686 | 179 | 3.6 | 5,951,314 | 95 | 1.6 | 10,861,000 | 275 | 2.5 |
80-84 | 2,825,159 | 116 | 4.1 | 3,834,386 | 62 | 1.6 | 6,659,545 | 181 | 2.7 |
≥85 | 2,283,827 | 98 | 4.3 | 4,202,041 | 41 | 1.0 | 6,485,868 | 139 | 2.1 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Alcohol
Ten percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers 70 years and older in 2022 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08%, compared with 21% for drivers ages 60-69 and 37% for drivers ages 16-59.
Fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BAC ≥ 0.08% by age, 2022 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Age | Drivers killed | Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08 | |
Number | Number | % | |
16-59 years | 14,077 | 5,223 | 37 |
60-69 years | 2,340 | 500 | 21 |
≥70 years | 3,085 | 305 | 10 |