Older adults and devastating traffic crash injuries

When a traffic collision occurs, some people are particularly vulnerable with respect to serious injuries and death. For example, those 65 and over could have an especially difficult time recovering from an injury, and a serious injury could even prevent them from continuing to live independently. It is crucial for older adults and all drivers to go over data on this issue and focus on accident prevention.

Sadly, traffic collisions caused by careless drivers continue to leave many older adults with injuries that shatter their lives.

Statistics on older adults and traffic collisions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that over the course of 2020, nearly 200,000 people aged 65 and over sought treatment in emergency departments because of traffic crash injuries. To look at this from a different angle, an average day in 2020 saw nearly 540 older adults suffer injuries in motor vehicle collisions.

Additionally, many older adults lose their lives in traffic collisions. In 2020, roughly 7,500 people aged 65 and over died in motor vehicle accidents.

Understanding the impact of accidents involving older adults

It is crucial for older drivers and the family members of older people who become injured in car crashes to realize how these accidents can shatter one’s life. Later in life, the physical consequences of an accident can become especially devastating. An older adult victim could lose the ability to walk and even take care of themselves. Additionally, these accidents can cause strong emotions such as anxiety and depression, and the financial toll can also prove devastating.