Are Older Drivers More Dangerous? What the 2024 Data Shows

Quick answer: Older drivers are not the most dangerous drivers on the road. In 2024, 8,019 people aged 65 and older were killed in US traffic crashes, which was 20% of all traffic deaths. But older drivers had the lowest rate of involvement in fatal crashes per licensed driver of any age group, at 15.60 per 100,000 licensed drivers.

How many older people die in traffic crashes

In 2024, 8,019 people aged 65 and older were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, according to NHTSA's Older Population fact sheet for 2024. That was 20% of all traffic fatalities. An estimated 284,525 older people were injured, which was 12% of all people injured. The death total rose 1% from 7,911 in 2023 (revised up from 7,891).

The longer trend is more striking. From 2015 to 2024, total traffic fatalities among the 65-and-older population increased 29%, from 6,237 to 8,019. Over the same period, the older population grew 28%, from 47.7 million to 61.2 million people. In 2024, people aged 65 and older made up 18% of the US population.

The fatality rate tells a calmer story than the totals. The traffic fatality rate per 100,000 population for older people in 2024 was 13.11, down 2% from 13.33 in 2023, and almost unchanged from 13.09 in 2015. Counts rise when there are more older people; the risk per person has stayed almost flat.

Who dies in crashes involving older drivers

Crashes involving older drivers kill more than older drivers alone. In 2024, 8,626 people died in crashes involving older drivers, up 1.4% from 2023 and up 29% from 6,668 in 2015. That total included 4,917 older drivers, 1,735 occupants of other vehicles, 963 nonoccupants such as pedestrians and pedalcyclists, and 1,009 passengers of older drivers.

Pedestrians account for a growing share of the older toll. Traffic fatalities of pedestrians aged 65 and older increased 49% from 2015 to 2024, from 1,027 to 1,535.

Older drivers are a growing share of everyone on the road. There were 54.4 million licensed older drivers in 2024, a 36% increase from 2015. Older drivers made up 23% of all licensed drivers in 2024, compared with 18% in 2015. For context on younger drivers, see How Many Young Drivers Die in Crashes Each Year?.

When and where older-driver crashes happen

Most traffic deaths in crashes involving older drivers happen in daytime, on weekdays, and in crashes with more than one vehicle. In 2024, those shares were 71% daytime, 69% weekdays, and 66% multi-vehicle. For all traffic deaths, the same shares were lower: 46% daytime, 59% weekdays, and 46% multi-vehicle.

Older drivers were also more likely to be killed on rural roads and at intersections than younger drivers. In 2024, 52% of older drivers killed were killed on rural roadways, compared with 47% of drivers aged 15 to 64. And 33% of older drivers killed died in intersection crashes, compared with 24% of drivers aged 15 to 64. State-by-state death figures for all ages are on the US crash deaths by state page.

The safety habits that set older drivers apart

Older drivers show some of the safest habits of any age group in the fatal crash data. Among passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2024, when restraint use was known, those aged 65 and older were restrained 70% of the time, compared with 46% for those under 65.

Alcohol is far less common among older drivers in fatal crashes: 10% of drivers aged 65 and older were alcohol-impaired, compared with 23% of drivers aged 21 to 64. For speeding, older drivers had the lowest share of any age group, at 8%, compared with 19% overall. Among drivers in fatal traffic crashes in 2024, drivers aged 65 and older had a lower involvement rate per 100,000 licensed drivers (15.60) than any other age group. The rate was 23.48 for older male drivers and 8.44 for older female drivers.

Risk does rise with age inside the older group. Among older people, the traffic fatality rate per 100,000 population in 2024 was highest for the 85-and-older age group, at 17.31, followed by the 80 to 84 group at 16.00. Involvement rates were also highest in the 85-and-older group.

What older drivers and their families can do

The data points to a few practical steps. Seat belts are the simplest one: older occupants already buckle up more often than younger ones, and keeping that habit on every trip, day and night, is the most effective protection in a crash.

Intersections deserve extra care. A third of older drivers killed died in intersection crashes. Taking an extra look both ways, and waiting for a clear gap before turning, can lower that risk. Rural roads also deserve respect: more than half of older drivers killed died on rural roads.

Walking needs the same care. With older pedestrian deaths up 49% over the decade, crossing at marked crossings, wearing visible clothing, and avoiding walking after dark all help. Families can help by talking openly about driving and planning safer routes. The global picture is on the world accident statistics page, and today's confirmed crash reports are on accidents today.

How these numbers were counted

These figures come from NHTSA, Older Population: 2024 Data (Traffic Safety Facts, Report No. DOT HS 813 839, October 2026), based on the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS). FARS counts are actual counts; CRSS injury figures are estimates from a sample of police-reported crashes. Older means aged 65 and older. The 2024 figures come from the Annual Report File, which can be revised when the Final File is released. Restraint and alcohol figures cover cases where that information was known.