Factors leading to older drivers' intersection crashes

Older drivers are overinvolved in intersection crashes compared with younger drivers, but the reasons are not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to identify factors leading to such crashes. Participants consisted of two groups of older drivers — ages 70-79 (n = 78) and 80 and older (n = 76) — and a comparison group of drivers ages 35-54 (n = 73); all were at fault in intersection crashes involving nonfatal injuries. Police crash reports, telephone interviews, and photographs of intersections were used to determine the driver actions and possible errors that led to crashes. Drivers 80 and older had fewer rear-end crashes than drivers 35-54 and 70-79, and both groups of older drivers had fewer ran-off-road crashes than drivers 35-54. Crashes where drivers failed to yield right-of-way increased with age and occurred mostly at stop-sign-controlled intersections, generally when turning left. The reasons for failure-to-yield crashes varied by age. Compared with drivers 35-54 and 80 and older, drivers 70-79 had more evaluation errors — seeing another vehicle but misjudging the speed or travel direction. Drivers 80 and older predominantly made search errors, often due to looking but failing to see. Drivers 35-54 also tended to make search errors, often due to distraction. Factors leading to intersection crashes vary with age, even between two older driver age groups. As the older driver population increases, identifying ways to reduce intersection crashes is paramount. Roundabouts and protected left turn lanes help to reduce failure-to-yield crashes for all drivers.