This is a social media meme – we should prohibit driving by everyone who is age 60 or older, or age 65 and older.
Saw one post claiming “something approaching 100 percent of drivers over 60” are incapable of safe driving.
What does accident data tell us?
- Age 60-64: “Fatal crash rates per 100,000 licensed drivers are lower than for drivers under 35”
- Age 65-70: “had the lowest involvement rate (16.49 per 100,000 licensed drivers) in fatal crashes compared to all other age groups”
- Age 70-74: Lowest incidence of speeding and DUI – “a relatively low-risk group — the overall crash rate per 100,000 licensed drivers continues to decrease through this age range”
- Age 75-79: Accident rates begin to increase due to frailty and slower reaction times.
The data argues the opposite – older drivers are generally safer than younger drives.
Those who argue that “all drivers over age 60” should be banned from driving have the mindset of racists, sexists and related, who categorize entire people by their group membership, rather than judge them as individuals.
