Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Driver Accident Statistics in Massachusetts
According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, senior drivers are most likely to be involved in a car accident at an intersection. The two most commonly cited causes of these crashes at intersections occur when an elderly driver attempts to turn left against oncoming cars and, secondly, fails to yield to traffic that has the right of way. These two causes make up the majority of crashes that involve elderly drivers across the state.
The Department of Transportation also reports that a person's driving ability reflects the physical and mental capacity of that person, not his or her age. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that senior drivers account for 12% of the total number of deadly accident in the country and also cause nearly 20% of all crashes involving pedestrian deaths.
Massachusetts requires drivers aged 75 or older to renew their driver's licenses in person at a branch of the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Senior drivers must also pass a vision test at the branch or present a Vision Screening Certificate that has recently been obtained in order for their licenses to be renewed. The debate continues to grow in the legislature regarding seniors behind the wheel and on the road and just how much the state can effectively oversee this population of drivers.
