COMPENSATION IN OLDER DRIVERS AS REFLECTED IN THEIR FATAL ACCIDENTS

To estimate safety effects of compensatory changes in the driving beha vior of older drivers (age 65+), their fatal accidents were compared w ith those of young and middle-aged drivers (26-40 years) in different situations. The starting point of the present study was that without c ompensation for age-bound functional deficits, more difficult conditio ns would also be more dangerous, but that successful compensation coul d reduce the increased risk. The results obtained support this conclus ion. Relatively fewer accidents of older drivers occurred under diffic ult conditions than in the comparison group, i.e. the older drivers ha d fewer accidents at nighttime and under bad weather and road-surface conditions. Older drivers were also less often in a hurry, alcohol int oxicated, or distracted by nondriving activities than the drivers of t he comparison group. The probability of being the legally responsible party was not related to these external and internal factors among old er drivers, but was in the comparison group.