Motor Vehicle Safety at Work

Older Drivers at Work

Key points

People 55 years and older are a growing group of the U.S. population that continues to work and drive. While older workers are more likely to adopt safe driving behaviors, they are also at greater risk of serious injury if they are involved in a crash. Employers can take actions to keep older drivers safe on the job.

Older driver

Why it's important

Older workers (those ages 55 and older) bring extensive skills, knowledge, and experience built over the course of a lifespan. However, age-related physical and mental changes may affect older workers’ driving. While such changes are normal, they also put older drivers at a greater risk of dying if they are in a motor vehicle crash. Employers and workers share the responsibility for keeping older drivers safe at work.

Facts and stats

  • By 2030, 32% of the U.S. population is expected to be age 55 or older, an increase from 30% in 2022. The share that is age 65 or older will grow even more: from 17% in 2022 to 21% in 2030.1
  • Over the 2016-2026 period, workers ages 75 and older are expected to have the fastest rate of growth in the labor force (91.5%), followed by workers 65 to 74 years (50.3%).2
  • By 2030, 85% to 90% of Americans age 65 or older will be licensed to drive.3
  • Research shows that older drivers are more likely than their younger counterparts to adopt safe behaviors such as wearing a seat belt and complying with speed limits. However, those age 55 and older have twice the risk of dying in a work-related crash than younger workers do.4 It is normal for physical and mental abilities to decline with age – putting older workers at greater risk of serious injury if they are involved in a motor vehicle crash.
  • In 2022 motor vehicle crashes accounted for 36% of all work-related deaths among workers age 55 or older.5

What employers can do

Use the following recommendations to develop safety and health programs that consider older drivers' needs.

  • Consider whether the work can be done without driving. Reducing the amount of driving workers do is the most effective way to prevent motor vehicle crashes.
  • Set policies that allow drivers to consult with their supervisors to adjust driving hours if they have trouble seeing at night, and to stop driving if they are too tired or the weather is bad.
  • Provide refresher driving training that includes topics such as safe-driving strategies, changes in road rules, regulations on distracted driving, and new vehicle safety features.
  • Restrict driving based on assessment of actual driving ability, rather than general health status or an arbitrary age limit.
  • Give workers general information about the possible effects of prescription and over-the-counter medications on their driving.

What workers can do

If you are an older worker driving as part of your job:

  • Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about potential effects of your medications on safe driving.
  • Get a thorough eye exam at least every 1-2 years, as your vision may change with age.
  • Maintain good health by engaging in regular physical activity, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and complying with all health exams and screenings.
  • Use a driving self-assessment tool to evaluate your driving.
  • Talk with your supervisor if you are having difficulty with driving, as you may need to change your driving habits.

Resources

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Content Source:
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
  1. U.S. Census Bureau [2023]. 2023 National population projections: main series. Table 3. Projected population by five-year age group and sex. Projections for the United States: 2022-2100.
  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics [2017]. Career Outlook: Projections of the labor force, 2016-2026.
  3. AAA [2019]. Senior Driver Safety & Mobility.
  4. Based on 2011-2022 data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries query system and 2011-2022 Employed Labor Force (ELF) population data.
  5. Bureau of Labor Statistics [2023]. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries query system.