The link between vehicle age and crash risk

On Behalf of | Sep 17, 2020 | Car Accidents

Most people are aware of the fact that teen drivers and senior citizens are statistically more likely to be involved in automobile accidents. Many fatal car accidents that occur in Colorado and across the United States involve drivers who fall within one of those two age categories. A recent study also indicates that drivers within those demographics drive older, less reliable and often more dangerous vehicles.

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention recently published the study showing that teens and senior citizens are not only more likely to wreck but also more likely to drive unsafe vehicles. This presents an imminent danger as teens are the most likely age group to be involved in a crash while senior citizens are most likely to be killed in a crash. These facts, when brought together, indicate that teens and seniors are put at significantly greater risk than others on the road.

The automobile industry has undergone many safety improvements over the last several years. While that is certainly good news for people who are buying new vehicles today, it does little to improve the safety of people who drive older vehicles, either by choice or due to financial restrictions.

Innovations such as side air bags and electronic stability control were either not factory-included features in older cars or hadn’t been invented at the time some vehicles were manufactured. This puts drivers of these vehicles at greater risk for wrecks resulting in serious injuries or death.

An individual who experiences a car accident that results in the loss of income or other harm may want to contact a personal injury attorney. This attorney may review the police reports and witness statements pertaining to the crash in order to help their client recoup lost funds or due damages through a settlement.

Attorney Chadwick P. McGrady at his desk