Older drivers are at increased risk of fatal crash involvement: Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis

Older adults have become a larger part of the driving population, but whether they are at increased risk of being involved in fatal crashes remains unclear. Methods: We performed a systematic review of studies investigating fatal crash involvement of older vs non-older drivers by searching the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, LILACS, SciELO, Web of Science, and ProQuest. Studies that used fatal crash involvement rates per distance driven as a measure of frequency were selected for meta-analysis. Results: We analyzed 14 studies published between 2001 and 2018. Of these, 12 reported a higher rate of fatal crashes involving older drivers than non-older drivers; 9 of them used involvement rates per distance driven, which is considered the most appropriate metric. The meta-analysis revealed high heterogeneity between studies. The meta-regression attributed 40% of the heterogeneity to age (older vs non-older drivers) (p<0.005). Conclusion: Age appears to be associated with higher driver involvement rates for fatal crashes among older persons.

Automated summary

Based on a systematic review of 14 studies, it was found that older drivers tend to have higher rates of involvement in fatal crashes compared to non-older drivers. Age was identified as a significant factor contributing to the higher involvement rates among older individuals.