Gender effect on the accident patterns of elderly drivers

Increased suburbanization, a greater dependency on the automobile, the continuous growth of the elderly population, and a significant increase in the number of elderly female drivers have created the need far research to investigate gender distinctions in the accident patterns of elderly drivers. Differences in accident patterns between younger and older drivers in this investigation are attributed partially to aging-related diminished abilities and partially to differences in drivership and licensure levels between the past and the present. This study analyzes and compares the accident patterns of elderly males and females. It shows that females aged 65 and over hove higher accident involvement rates than elderly males. Accident exposure data indicate a similar exposure for elderly males and females making the higher rates for females more significant. In contrast, the accident patterns of males and females under 65 are similar, suggesting that gender-related differences may disappear in the future.