The Rand Institute for Justice, 2007, as catalogued in the Library of Congress, provides more evidence that the older drivers in Canada are being discriminated against by their own Provincial Governments.

The Rand Institute’s conclusions regarding the accident risk of older drivers is:

• Relative risk of accident by older drivers actually diminishes with age.

• The relative risk of older drivers changed little between the early 1970’s and 2003, despite a continually aging population.

• As the population ages, the number of injuries, especially fatal ones, sustained by older individuals in car accidents will rise.  However, the research concludes that this increase in injuries will occur, not because older drivers are more likely to cause accidents, but primarily because their likelihood of injury is high, when they are involved in an accident.

• The research also concludes that the middle age driver group, those between 25 and 64 years of age, are involved in 85% of all accidents.  And the younger drivers, those between 15 and 24 years of age, are involved in 45% of all accidents.  While older drivers, those between the ages of 65 and beyond, are involved in 23% of all accidents.

The Rand research states that ” The good record of the older drivers is likely due to experience of age, and self regulation, than any licencing policies, in reducing risk”.

Reference (https://www.aeaweb.org/annual_mtg_papers/2008/2008_365.pdf)

Sincerely, Ed. Rockburne,RCMP, Retired.