Fatality Facts 2021Older people
Overview
In 2020, motor vehicle crashes accounted for less than 1 percent of fatalities among people 70 and older.
Per mile traveled, fatal crash rates increase noticeably starting at age 70-74 and are highest among drivers 85 and older. The increased fatal crash risk among older drivers is largely due to their increased susceptibility to injury, particularly chest injuries, and medical complications, rather than an increased tendency to get into crashes.
The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
Posted May 2023.
Trends
A total of 5,209 people ages 70 and older died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021. This is 11 percent fewer than in 1997, when deaths peaked, but a 38 percent increase since 1975. Deaths of older people increased by 13 percent from 2020 to 2021. The rate of fatalities per capita among older people has decreased 46 percent since 1975.
Motor vehicle crash deaths and deaths per 100,000 people 70 and older, 1975-2021
Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 people 70 years and older, 1975-2021 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Population | Deaths | Rate |
1975 | 14,563,945 | 3,775 | 25.9 |
1976 | 14,960,120 | 3,896 | 26.0 |
1977 | 15,401,249 | 3,859 | 25.1 |
1978 | 15,876,541 | 3,824 | 24.1 |
1979 | 16,388,617 | 3,772 | 23.0 |
1980 | 16,897,977 | 3,861 | 22.8 |
1981 | 17,322,714 | 3,871 | 22.3 |
1982 | 17,783,888 | 3,655 | 20.6 |
1983 | 18,233,751 | 3,734 | 20.5 |
1984 | 18,662,938 | 4,052 | 21.7 |
1985 | 19,072,785 | 4,206 | 22.1 |
1986 | 19,463,480 | 4,445 | 22.8 |
1987 | 19,890,817 | 4,555 | 22.9 |
1988 | 20,302,280 | 4,925 | 24.3 |
1989 | 20,719,397 | 4,943 | 23.9 |
1990 | 21,164,283 | 4,844 | 22.9 |
1991 | 21,751,897 | 4,843 | 22.3 |
1992 | 22,321,217 | 4,901 | 22.0 |
1993 | 22,800,673 | 5,221 | 22.9 |
1994 | 23,243,845 | 5,425 | 23.3 |
1995 | 23,693,757 | 5,509 | 23.3 |
1996 | 24,056,323 | 5,578 | 23.2 |
1997 | 24,408,817 | 5,872 | 24.1 |
1998 | 24,793,551 | 5,798 | 23.4 |
1999 | 25,092,805 | 5,657 | 22.5 |
2000 | 25,559,879 | 5,379 | 21.0 |
2001 | 25,797,467 | 5,425 | 21.0 |
2002 | 26,005,326 | 5,332 | 20.5 |
2003 | 26,200,946 | 5,363 | 20.5 |
2004 | 26,337,518 | 5,106 | 19.4 |
2005 | 26,658,669 | 5,047 | 18.9 |
2006 | 26,884,798 | 4,636 | 17.2 |
2007 | 27,135,517 | 4,631 | 17.1 |
2008 | 27,521,034 | 4,291 | 15.6 |
2009 | 27,786,270 | 3,995 | 14.4 |
2010 | 27,957,657 | 4,171 | 14.9 |
2011 | 28,472,279 | 4,071 | 14.3 |
2012 | 29,152,093 | 4,113 | 14.1 |
2013 | 30,040,362 | 4,150 | 13.8 |
2014 | 30,864,009 | 4,206 | 13.6 |
2015 | 31,624,778 | 4,427 | 14.0 |
2016 | 32,406,486 | 4,848 | 15.0 |
2017 | 33,964,043 | 5,037 | 14.8 |
2018 | 35,290,306 | 5,026 | 14.2 |
2019 | 36,592,368 | 5,232 | 14.3 |
2020 | 37,785,698 | 4,593 | 12.2 |
2021 | 37,453,633 | 5,209 | 13.9 |
Seventy-two percent of people 70 and older killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2021 were passenger vehicle occupants, and 16 percent were pedestrians. Since 1997, deaths of older passenger vehicle occupants have declined 21 percent, and deaths of older pedestrians have declined 9 percent. Although few older adults are killed while riding motorcycles, this number has risen. Over 11 times as many motorcyclists 70 years and older were killed in 2021 than in 1997.
Motor vehicle crash deaths among people 70 and older, 1975-2021 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Passenger vehicle occupant deaths | Pedestrian deaths | Motorcyclist deaths | Other motor vehicle deaths | All motor vehicle deaths | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | |
1975 | 2,302 | 61 | 1,348 | 36 | 5 | <1 | 120 | 3 | 3,775 |
1976 | 2,490 | 64 | 1,291 | 33 | 9 | <1 | 106 | 3 | 3,896 |
1977 | 2,370 | 61 | 1,383 | 36 | 14 | <1 | 92 | 2 | 3,859 |
1978 | 2,515 | 66 | 1,214 | 32 | 16 | <1 | 79 | 2 | 3,824 |
1979 | 2,391 | 63 | 1,277 | 34 | 16 | <1 | 88 | 2 | 3,772 |
1980 | 2,399 | 62 | 1,344 | 35 | 21 | 1 | 97 | 3 | 3,861 |
1981 | 2,495 | 64 | 1,278 | 33 | 22 | 1 | 76 | 2 | 3,871 |
1982 | 2,430 | 66 | 1,124 | 31 | 16 | <1 | 85 | 2 | 3,655 |
1983 | 2,547 | 68 | 1,081 | 29 | 29 | 1 | 77 | 2 | 3,734 |
1984 | 2,764 | 68 | 1,164 | 29 | 32 | 1 | 92 | 2 | 4,052 |
1985 | 2,933 | 70 | 1,170 | 28 | 17 | <1 | 86 | 2 | 4,206 |
1986 | 3,166 | 71 | 1,157 | 26 | 18 | <1 | 104 | 2 | 4,445 |
1987 | 3,276 | 72 | 1,160 | 25 | 23 | 1 | 96 | 2 | 4,555 |
1988 | 3,540 | 72 | 1,271 | 26 | 29 | 1 | 85 | 2 | 4,925 |
1989 | 3,658 | 74 | 1,180 | 24 | 14 | <1 | 91 | 2 | 4,943 |
1990 | 3,525 | 73 | 1,195 | 25 | 26 | 1 | 98 | 2 | 4,844 |
1991 | 3,690 | 76 | 1,044 | 22 | 22 | <1 | 87 | 2 | 4,843 |
1992 | 3,801 | 78 | 997 | 20 | 18 | <1 | 85 | 2 | 4,901 |
1993 | 4,076 | 78 | 1,012 | 19 | 30 | 1 | 103 | 2 | 5,221 |
1994 | 4,291 | 79 | 1,021 | 19 | 25 | <1 | 88 | 2 | 5,425 |
1995 | 4,368 | 79 | 1,008 | 18 | 16 | <1 | 117 | 2 | 5,509 |
1996 | 4,492 | 81 | 951 | 17 | 24 | <1 | 111 | 2 | 5,578 |
1997 | 4,748 | 81 | 931 | 16 | 27 | <1 | 166 | 3 | 5,872 |
1998 | 4,683 | 81 | 965 | 17 | 28 | <1 | 122 | 2 | 5,798 |
1999 | 4,587 | 81 | 885 | 16 | 30 | 1 | 155 | 3 | 5,657 |
2000 | 4,406 | 82 | 807 | 15 | 42 | 1 | 124 | 2 | 5,379 |
2001 | 4,389 | 81 | 878 | 16 | 42 | 1 | 116 | 2 | 5,425 |
2002 | 4,287 | 80 | 845 | 16 | 50 | 1 | 150 | 3 | 5,332 |
2003 | 4,377 | 82 | 777 | 14 | 56 | 1 | 153 | 3 | 5,363 |
2004 | 4,113 | 81 | 763 | 15 | 48 | 1 | 182 | 4 | 5,106 |
2005 | 4,016 | 80 | 777 | 15 | 79 | 2 | 175 | 3 | 5,047 |
2006 | 3,681 | 79 | 707 | 15 | 76 | 2 | 172 | 4 | 4,636 |
2007 | 3,661 | 79 | 726 | 16 | 89 | 2 | 155 | 3 | 4,631 |
2008 | 3,401 | 79 | 603 | 14 | 127 | 3 | 160 | 4 | 4,291 |
2009 | 3,194 | 80 | 578 | 14 | 91 | 2 | 132 | 3 | 3,995 |
2010 | 3,246 | 78 | 628 | 15 | 137 | 3 | 160 | 4 | 4,171 |
2011 | 3,109 | 76 | 637 | 16 | 147 | 4 | 178 | 4 | 4,071 |
2012 | 3,081 | 75 | 707 | 17 | 150 | 4 | 175 | 4 | 4,113 |
2013 | 3,123 | 75 | 666 | 16 | 177 | 4 | 184 | 4 | 4,150 |
2014 | 3,136 | 75 | 729 | 17 | 124 | 3 | 217 | 5 | 4,206 |
2015 | 3,346 | 76 | 719 | 16 | 164 | 4 | 198 | 4 | 4,427 |
2016 | 3,586 | 74 | 822 | 17 | 207 | 4 | 233 | 5 | 4,848 |
2017 | 3,763 | 75 | 821 | 16 | 232 | 5 | 221 | 4 | 5,037 |
2018 | 3,665 | 73 | 911 | 18 | 212 | 4 | 238 | 5 | 5,026 |
2019 | 3,810 | 73 | 888 | 17 | 251 | 5 | 283 | 5 | 5,232 |
2020 | 3,251 | 71 | 777 | 17 | 267 | 6 | 298 | 6 | 4,593 |
2021 | 3,766 | 72 | 846 | 16 | 302 | 6 | 295 | 6 | 5,209 |
In 2021, 57 percent of the deaths in crashes involving passenger vehicle drivers 70 and older were the older drivers themselves, and 13 percent were their passengers. Twenty-nine percent of deaths were occupants of other vehicles or motorcyclists, bicyclists or pedestrians. In contrast, in crashes involving at least one passenger vehicle driver younger than 30, 38 percent of the deaths were the drivers younger than 30, 17 percent were their passengers, and 45 percent were occupants of other vehicles or motorcyclists, bicyclists or pedestrians.
Deaths in crashes involving passenger vehicle drivers younger than 30, ages 30-69, and 70 and older, by type of road user, 2021 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Deaths involving at least one driver younger than 30 | Deaths involving at least one driver age 30-69 | Deaths involving at least one driver 70 or older | ||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
Deaths in passenger vehicles with a driver that age | ||||||
Drivers | 5,840 | 38 | 11,536 | 48 | 2,853 | 57 |
Passengers | 2,586 | 17 | 2,963 | 12 | 662 | 13 |
Deaths of other passenger vehicle occupants | 3,389 | 22 | 3,611 | 15 | 644 | 13 |
Motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians | 3,455 | 23 | 6,102 | 25 | 820 | 16 |
Total* | 15,366 | 100 | 24,371 | 100 | 4,994 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Population and mileage rates
Looked at by age group, 2021 motor vehicle crash death rates begin increasing for males at ages 75-79 and females at age 70-74. Males had substantially higher death rates than females for ages 16 and older.
Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 people by age and sex, 2021
Motor vehicle crash deaths per 100,000 people by age and sex, 2021 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Male | Female | Total | ||||||
Population | Deaths | Rate | Population | Deaths | Rate | Population | Deaths* | Rate | |
<16 | 33,217,260 | 776 | 2.3 | 31,705,336 | 597 | 1.9 | 64,922,596 | 1,380 | 2.1 |
16-19 | 8,794,449 | 1,780 | 20.2 | 8,414,291 | 815 | 9.7 | 17,208,740 | 2,600 | 15.1 |
20-24 | 10,973,238 | 3,092 | 28.2 | 10,550,759 | 1,184 | 11.2 | 21,523,997 | 4,283 | 19.9 |
25-29 | 11,379,058 | 3,225 | 28.3 | 11,013,419 | 1,080 | 9.8 | 22,392,477 | 4,310 | 19.2 |
30-34 | 11,674,304 | 3,073 | 26.3 | 11,428,324 | 1,054 | 9.2 | 23,102,628 | 4,138 | 17.9 |
35-39 | 11,263,833 | 2,596 | 23.0 | 11,035,485 | 973 | 8.8 | 22,299,318 | 3,572 | 16.0 |
40-44 | 10,593,780 | 2,335 | 22.0 | 10,510,756 | 801 | 7.6 | 21,104,536 | 3,144 | 14.9 |
45-49 | 9,875,757 | 2,049 | 20.7 | 9,905,753 | 679 | 6.9 | 19,781,510 | 2,735 | 13.8 |
50-54 | 10,436,202 | 2,274 | 21.8 | 10,470,724 | 775 | 7.4 | 20,906,926 | 3,054 | 14.6 |
55-59 | 10,630,059 | 2,331 | 21.9 | 10,937,255 | 747 | 6.8 | 21,567,314 | 3,080 | 14.3 |
60-64 | 10,333,259 | 2,170 | 21.0 | 10,902,491 | 744 | 6.8 | 21,235,750 | 2,925 | 13.8 |
65-69 | 8,748,213 | 1,665 | 19.0 | 9,646,107 | 611 | 6.3 | 18,394,320 | 2,280 | 12.4 |
70-74 | 7,120,873 | 1,198 | 16.8 | 8,150,929 | 577 | 7.1 | 15,271,802 | 1,779 | 11.6 |
75-79 | 4,472,410 | 862 | 19.3 | 5,432,359 | 512 | 9.4 | 9,904,769 | 1,375 | 13.9 |
80-84 | 2,696,104 | 622 | 23.1 | 3,605,202 | 372 | 10.3 | 6,301,306 | 996 | 15.8 |
≥85 | 2,175,943 | 578 | 26.6 | 3,799,813 | 478 | 12.6 | 5,975,756 | 1,059 | 17.7 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
In 2016-17, the rate of passenger vehicle driver fatal crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled began to increase at ages 70-74. Drivers 85 and older had the highest rate of fatal crash involvement.
Passenger vehicle fatal crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled by driver age, April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017
Passenger vehicle fatal crash rates per 100 million miles traveled, by driver age, April 1, 2016 - March 31, 2017 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Age | Crash involvements | Miles | Rate |
16-19 | 3,023 | 62,410,423,548 | 4.8 |
20-24 | 5,615 | 172,158,820,127 | 3.3 |
25-29 | 4,963 | 213,487,256,997 | 2.3 |
30-34 | 4,052 | 228,055,122,817 | 1.8 |
35-39 | 3,290 | 235,513,924,779 | 1.4 |
40-44 | 2,933 | 221,981,057,921 | 1.3 |
45-49 | 2,868 | 211,720,351,245 | 1.4 |
50-54 | 2,954 | 229,997,362,385 | 1.3 |
55-59 | 2,791 | 216,227,224,007 | 1.3 |
60-64 | 2,397 | 195,073,278,082 | 1.2 |
65-69 | 2,003 | 149,557,419,942 | 1.3 |
70-74 | 1,468 | 87,458,953,733 | 1.7 |
75-79 | 1,094 | 51,982,073,748 | 2.1 |
80-84 | 882 | 20,669,598,896 | 4.3 |
≥85 | 858 | 11,313,581,400 | 7.6 |
Total* | 41,234 | 2,307,606,449,627 | 1.8 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Crash types
Among passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2021, the proportion in multiple-vehicle crashes at intersections increases steadily with age starting at 65-69. Multiple-vehicle crashes at intersections accounted for 39 percent of fatal crash involvements among drivers 80 and older, compared with 20 percent for drivers ages 16-59.
Passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes by age and crash type, 2021 | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Multiple-vehicle intersection crashes | Other multiple-vehicle crashes | Single-vehicle intersection crashes | Other single-vehicle crashes | All crashes* | |||||
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
16-19 | 773 | 23 | 1,283 | 37 | 141 | 4 | 1,227 | 36 | 3,424 | 100 |
20-24 | 1,177 | 20 | 2,409 | 41 | 295 | 5 | 2,047 | 35 | 5,928 | 100 |
25-29 | 1,064 | 19 | 2,398 | 43 | 282 | 5 | 1,815 | 33 | 5,559 | 100 |
30-34 | 952 | 18 | 2,306 | 45 | 224 | 4 | 1,669 | 32 | 5,151 | 100 |
35-39 | 843 | 19 | 1,997 | 46 | 175 | 4 | 1,364 | 31 | 4,379 | 100 |
40-44 | 706 | 19 | 1,640 | 45 | 190 | 5 | 1,092 | 30 | 3,628 | 100 |
45-49 | 645 | 21 | 1,395 | 45 | 148 | 5 | 886 | 29 | 3,074 | 100 |
50-54 | 624 | 19 | 1,513 | 47 | 162 | 5 | 944 | 29 | 3,243 | 100 |
55-59 | 656 | 21 | 1,439 | 47 | 136 | 4 | 856 | 28 | 3,087 | 100 |
60-64 | 596 | 22 | 1,182 | 43 | 136 | 5 | 822 | 30 | 2,736 | 100 |
65-69 | 554 | 26 | 927 | 44 | 98 | 5 | 540 | 25 | 2,119 | 100 |
70-74 | 455 | 27 | 714 | 42 | 75 | 4 | 461 | 27 | 1,705 | 100 |
75-79 | 392 | 30 | 544 | 41 | 51 | 4 | 341 | 26 | 1,328 | 100 |
80-84 | 324 | 36 | 332 | 37 | 34 | 4 | 202 | 23 | 892 | 100 |
≥85 | 333 | 41 | 279 | 35 | 29 | 4 | 165 | 20 | 806 | 100 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Pedestrians
Among adults 70 and older, the rate of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 population in 2021 was highest for people ages 80-84. For all age groups the rate of pedestrian deaths per capita was higher for males than females.
Pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people by age and sex, 2021 | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | Male | Female | Total | ||||||
Population | Deaths | Rate | Population | Deaths | Rate | Population | Deaths* | Rate | |
<13 | 26,442,279 | 81 | 0.3 | 25,248,817 | 56 | 0.2 | 51,691,096 | 139 | 0.3 |
13-15 | 6,774,981 | 27 | 0.4 | 6,456,519 | 25 | 0.4 | 13,231,500 | 53 | 0.4 |
16-19 | 8,794,449 | 131 | 1.5 | 8,414,291 | 62 | 0.7 | 17,208,740 | 193 | 1.1 |
20-24 | 10,973,238 | 299 | 2.7 | 10,550,759 | 134 | 1.3 | 21,523,997 | 435 | 2.0 |
25-29 | 11,379,058 | 435 | 3.8 | 11,013,419 | 170 | 1.5 | 22,392,477 | 606 | 2.7 |
30-34 | 11,674,304 | 513 | 4.4 | 11,428,324 | 191 | 1.7 | 23,102,628 | 706 | 3.1 |
35-39 | 11,263,833 | 478 | 4.2 | 11,035,485 | 215 | 1.9 | 22,299,318 | 694 | 3.1 |
40-44 | 10,593,780 | 455 | 4.3 | 10,510,756 | 171 | 1.6 | 21,104,536 | 630 | 3.0 |
45-49 | 9,875,757 | 378 | 3.8 | 9,905,753 | 144 | 1.5 | 19,781,510 | 526 | 2.7 |
50-54 | 10,436,202 | 417 | 4.0 | 10,470,724 | 158 | 1.5 | 20,906,926 | 579 | 2.8 |
55-59 | 10,630,059 | 491 | 4.6 | 10,937,255 | 176 | 1.6 | 21,567,314 | 667 | 3.1 |
60-64 | 10,333,259 | 492 | 4.8 | 10,902,491 | 178 | 1.6 | 21,235,750 | 676 | 3.2 |
65-69 | 8,748,213 | 382 | 4.4 | 9,646,107 | 146 | 1.5 | 18,394,320 | 529 | 2.9 |
70-74 | 7,120,873 | 231 | 3.2 | 8,150,929 | 115 | 1.4 | 15,271,802 | 348 | 2.3 |
75-79 | 4,472,410 | 133 | 3.0 | 5,432,359 | 83 | 1.5 | 9,904,769 | 216 | 2.2 |
80-84 | 2,696,104 | 98 | 3.6 | 3,605,202 | 65 | 1.8 | 6,301,306 | 163 | 2.6 |
≥85 | 2,175,943 | 71 | 3.3 | 3,799,813 | 47 | 1.2 | 5,975,756 | 119 | 2.0 |
*Total includes other and/or unknowns |
Alcohol
Ten percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers 70 years and older in 2021 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent, compared with 20 percent for drivers ages 60-69 and 36 percent for drivers ages 16-59.
Fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BAC ≥ 0.08 percent by age, 2021 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Age | Drivers killed | Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08 | |
Number | Number | % | |
16-59 years | 15,000 | 5,358 | 36 |
60-69 years | 2,331 | 460 | 20 |
≥70 years | 2,853 | 279 | 10 |