There is no magical age at which people suddenly become good or bad drivers. As with most things in life, people develop and deteriorate at different rates.
Yet a quick look at accident statistics shows that very young and very old drivers tend to feature more in crashes. Why is this?
Younger drivers lack experience
There is a lot to learn when someone first starts driving. As they progress, they will become better at understanding the vehicle’s limits and how traffic flows. They will be more aware of the mistakes other drivers make and how anticipating them can reduce the chance of a crash. They’ll also become more familiar with their local roads, knowing which bends require extra caution, where pedestrians are likely to step off the curb and so on.
The advantage young drivers have is quick reflexes and the bodily strength to do things like hauling the steering wheel to one side to avoid a crash. They are also able to recover quickly if injured.
Older drivers have less able bodies and minds
A driver in their 70s or 80s may have masses of driving experience. Yet their body and mind are not as agile as someone in their teens or early 20s.
As people age, their eyesight and hearing weaken, making it harder to spot a hazard. That, in turn, leaves them less time to react. As their reactions are also slower than someone young, they have less chance of avoiding a crash. What’s more, as their body is weaker, they are more likely to be seriously injured and will find it harder to recover.
If you are in a collision with a particularly young or old driver, considering their age may help to explain what happened and hold them responsible for the compensation, you need.
