Teen and Senior Drivers - Higher Risk of Auto Accidents?

AAA, the American Automobile Association, has a foundation on auto safety that has collected many statistics about US drivers. According to AAA statistics, two groups of drivers that have the most risk of suffering fatal auto accidents lie on both ends of the age spectrum. I think it is very important to keep this data in mind if you fall into one of these age groups, or if you care for people in those age groups. Those of us in the so-called “sandwich” generation, who care for both children and aging parents, must be especially mindful of the risks of these two types of drivers.

No Surprises About Teen Drivers

Nearly half of all deaths in the 16 to 17 year old age group came from auto accidents. And younger teen drivers, especially males, also account for a disproportionate number of all auto accident claims.

Inexperience + Impulsive = High Risk Driving

This is not to say that all teens will have bad driving habits, and improved regulations and teen driver’s education have really helped reduce accidents. Even insurance companies recognize this, and that is why they are willing to offer substantial car insurance discounts for teens who complete approved driver’s education courses, maintain a good grade average, and obey the rules.

Concerns About Senior Drivers

The AAA study uncovered another surprising fact. A young male driver will have less of chance of being killed in an auto accident than a female in her 80’s. Analysts believe that is simply because the older driver will be much more frail. A 16 or 17 year old boy can survive a lot more trauma than an 85 year old can. And seniors usually have decades of driving experience so they can anticipate problems before they happen. But even though seniors have driving experience under their belt, they may have some health issues that impair their ability to drive safely.

According to the AAA, a driver must make 20 decisions for each mile they drive. Sometimes we only have fractions of a second to react in order to avoid a collision. In addition, hearing and vision deteriorate as we age. For instance, the average 60 year old requires ten times as much light as the average 19 year old in order to drive safely.

Tips For Senior Driving

• Seniors must be aware of limitations that age imposes on them and drive accordingly.
• Consider installing extra safety features like larger review mirrors and brighter headlights.
• It may be time to give up night driving or, sometimes, driving at all, if infirmities make it hard to drive safely.

How Do Insurers Look At Age?

Age does not make somebody a good driver or a bad driver. Ability does. Some teens take care to education themselves about defensive driving and take the responsibility of operating a vehicle very seriously. Many senior citizens use caution and experience to avoid accidents. Insurers will reward good driving, but will certainly take extra care when an applicant falls into the categories of their oldest or youngest drivers. Find out which companies are most friendly to the drivers in your family our fast, safe, and free car insurance quotes!

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