If you worry about your safety on the road as an older adult, it is crucial to go over the different risks you face and data on these accidents. When it comes to traffic collisions, older adults are especially vulnerable, and an accident could shatter many aspects of your life. Whether you lose the ability to live independently or struggle with the financial toll of an accident, a crash could affect you in various ways.
Sadly, these accidents continue to occur for different reasons. Often, the negligence of other drivers causes devastating collisions, which highlights the importance of abiding by traffic safety regulations.
Data on the traffic crash and older adults
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides data that shows the impact of motor vehicle crashes involving older adults (people 65 and older). Throughout 2019, over 250,000 older adults had to seek emergency treatment due to injuries they suffered in traffic accidents, and roughly 8,000 lost their lives. To look at this data differently, nearly 700 older adults became hurt and over 20 died in traffic accidents on a daily basis in 2019.
Older adults face serious traffic crash risks
The CDC states that those over 70 are more likely to die in traffic crashes for every vehicle mile traveled in comparison to those between 35 and 54. Males have a higher chance of losing their lives in an accident, and older adults are particularly vulnerable from a physical standpoint when a collision occurs.
If you are an older adult struggling with the consequences of a traffic accident, make sure you examine the details of the crash closely and focus on your options.