Older drivers are involved in fewer crashes than other age groups. They tend to drive conservatively, travel fewer kilometres than other drivers and restrict their driving to times and situations in which they feel safe.
While older drivers don't have as many crashes, they and older passengers, if involved in a crash, are more at risk of being seriously injured or killed. This is principally due to their physical vulnerability. With the same impact force, the fatality rate is approximately three times higher for a 75-year-old motor vehicle occupant than for an 18-year-old one.
Illness and changes that are more common with age increase the risk of older drivers being involved in a crash. These changes may be physical or they may be changes to memory and thinking.
In this section you can learn how to address the risks to yourself and others when driving.
How are your skills?
We've developed a self assessment tool that can help senior drivers to examine and compare their skills with the requirements for safe driving. There are suggestions to improve each driving skill that is identified as an area to focus on after completing the self assessment.
Resources
The road ahead: transport options for seniors
This booklet provides information on the driver licence renewal process, road rule refresher graphics and tips to help you keep moving. It also contains guidelines for assessing your own driving ability and resources to help you plan ahead in case you need to give up driving for any reason.
ReadThe road ahead – transport options for seniors
The cost of running a vehicle
This worksheet provides some guidance on how to estimate the ongoing costs of running a vehicle.
Download The cost of running a vehicle
Supporting senior drivers
This booklet contains information for people supporting senior drivers, including how to assess their driving skills, what refresher courses they can do, and how to talk to them about reducing or stopping driving.
Read Supporting senior drivers Read Supporting senior drivers