Elderly Drivers and Intersection Accidents

Data from the Bureau of the Census indicate that the elderly population is expected to increase continuously and it is forecast that in the year 2000, people over 65 will account for 21.2 percent of the population. This is almost twice their percentage in 1980 (11.3 percent). Population trends create a concern for traffic safety since elderly drivers make up a high-risk group. A number of recent studies have been conducted to define the relationship between highway safety and driver age. This study presents the results from an analysis of intersection accidents in the state of Michigan and examines factors contributing to these accidents.