225 older drivers killed or seriously injured on Northern Ireland roads from 2020-2024

The results find that between 2020-2024 there have been 1,720 car drivers Killed or Seriously Injured on Northern Ireland roads – while all road users account for 39% of those Killed or Seriously Injured.

The report also found that car drivers aged 70 and over accounted for 13% (225) of all car drivers Killed or Seriously Injured casualties during this period.

The findings show that in total, car drivers aged 70 and over were deemed responsible for 376 Killed or Seriously Injured casualties, accounting for over one-tenth (12%) of all Killed or Seriously Injured casualties caused by car drivers (3,013).

And, according to the report when involved in an injury collision car drivers aged 70 and over (16%) are twice as likely to be Killed or Seriously Injured than those aged under 70 (8%).

And, physical / mental illness or injury represents a higher collision risk for older car drivers where 10% of Killed or Seriously Injured collisions where a car driver aged 70 and over was deemed responsible were caused by “Physical / Mental Illness – driver”, compared to 2% where a car driver aged under 70 was responsible.

The report adds that older car drivers are more likely to be responsible for their own KSI (killed or seriously injured) injuries with those aged 70 and over responsible for 69% compared to 53% for those aged under 70.

And car drivers aged 70 and over were more likely to be Killed or Seriously Injured in the afternoon (61%) than car drivers aged under 70 (36%).

Whilst car drivers aged 70 and over were less likely to be Killed or Seriously Injured on a Sunday (9%) than car drivers aged under 70 (16%).

And the Mid Ulster Local Government District had the highest annual rate (31.3) of older car driver KSI casualties per 100,000 resident population (aged 70+), while Belfast had the lowest (6.0).