Over-70 car drivers safer

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33819, 16 April 1975, Page 2

Over-70 car drivers safer

(N.Z- Press Assucialiuit) WELLINGTON, April 15. The time, effort and money spent on retesting over-70 drivers might be better employed in attempts to reduce younger motorists’ accidents, says the Wellington council of the Automobile Association. The percentage of over--70 drivers involved in accidents was the secondlowest of all groups, at 0.9 per cent, said a report by the council.

Of the 47,000 over-70 licensed drivers, only 399 were involved in accidents during 1973 — but the 58,100 drivers in the 15 to 17 age group were involved in 3318 accidents.

The percentages of 15, 16 and 17-year-old drivers involved in accidents were 6.9, 5.8 and 5.3, respectively.

These statistics were in line with recent overseas investigations, including one by the University of Denver College of Law in the United States. This showed that in 31 states.

drivers aged 65 and over averaged 37 per cent fewer accidents than the total driving population.

Older drivers represented 7.4 per cent of all drivers, but were involved in only 4.8 per cent of all accidents. The study attributed this to their avoidance of such dangerous traffic offences as speeding, drunken driving, and “tailgating.”