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Elderly Female Drivers Are 3 Times More Likely to Be in an Accident Than Men

For the obvious reasons, elderly drivers are more prone to be involved in an accident. A new study conducted by the Office for National Statistics in the UK has determined that, when it comes to this age group, female drivers are 3 times more likely to be in a crash than their male counterparts.
Elderly female drivers don't have the same bank of experience, are more likely to be involved in an accident 6 photos
Photo: nypost.com / shutterstock
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The Automobile Association explains the conclusion of the study by saying that, later in life, women tend to let the husband become the default driver. In willingly giving up the wheel, female drivers forego the chance to accumulate great driving experience, the AA says, as cited by the Daily Mail.

On average, women live longer than men so, when they’re forced to take the wheel again, they do so without having accumulated said experience. In other words, when they’re widowed, female drivers go back on the road without much experience behind the wheel, so they make mistakes.

According to the study, for every billion miles traveled by women over the age of 70, 173 of them are killed or injured in a crash. Comparatively, only 63 male drivers of the same age are involved in a serious accident. At the same time, men over 65 are 6 times more likely to be the family’s default driver than women, while 1 third of female drivers over 70 relinquish their driver’s license. One 1 tenth of men do that.

“Being the default driver means men are more likely to gain greater driving experience throughout their life,” Edmund King, AA Charitable Trust Director, says. “When they reach old age, this bank of experience is a great asset and may be one of the reasons why men are so much more likely than women to keep their driving license past the age of 70. It may also help explain why women drivers become increasingly more likely than men of the same age to be killed or seriously injured in a crash.”

“Being able to drive as safely as possible for as long as possible is vitally important for drivers as they get older,”
King continues. “For many older drivers, their car is a lifeline that helps keep them connected to their community and able to live independently. We need to make sure we are encouraging all drivers to keep their skills up to date. Banking a wealth of on-road experience over many years can help ensure drivers enter the later stages of their driving life with as much confidence and competence as possible.”
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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