ATSSA Signal July/August 2018

American Traffic Safety Services Association 28 Member Company & Agency News TRIP report shows an increase in injuries, fatalities for older drivers A new report from national transpor- tation research group TRIP shows that fatal crashes among older drivers are increasing, and that roadway safety in- frastructure improvements could en- hance safety for older drivers in these cases. The report, titled “Preserving the Mobil- ity and Safety of Older Americans,” states that between 2012 and 2016 fatalities from crashes involving drivers ages 65 and older increased by 22 percent, and the number of drivers ages 65 and older increased 21 percent. Florida saw the largest increase in the number of fatalities for drivers over 65, totaling 682. Wisconsin saw the highest percentage increase of fatalities involv- ing one driver aged 65 years or older with 26 percent, and West Virginia saw the highest total percentage increase of licensed drivers 65 or older at 25 per- cent. California has the highest number of drivers over 65 with 3,999,876, ac- cording to the TRIP report. With projections that Americans 65 and older will reach 24 percent of the United States’ population by 2060, there is a growing need to address transportation infrastructure and make improvements that will benefit all drivers. ATSSA and AARP have been working to improve roadway safety for older driv- ers for several years, including having older driver safety eligible activities in- cluded as part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). In addi- tion, HSIP states that if an increase in fatalities and serious injuries per capita occur with drivers over 65, based on the most recent two-year dataset, then a state is required to develop strategies to address safety concerns for older drivers and pedestrians. “There are many things we can do to im- prove roadway infrastructure in a way that benefits not only older drivers, but all road users on our nation’s roadways. Wider and more retroreflective pave- ment markings, improved roadway sig- nage, and dedicated left-turn lanes, to name a few, can all make a significant difference. TRIP’s report shows the need to focus on improving our roadway safe- ty infrastructure now, so that we can protect and save the lives of our parents and grandparents for decades to come,” said ATSSA’s Vice President of Govern- ment Relations Nate Smith. To read the full TRIP report, visit www.tripnet.org/ d o c s / O l d e r_ Ame r i c a n s _ Mo b i l i t y _T R I P_ Report_2018.pdf.