Exclusive CAA-Québec survey – Seniors accused of bad driving: rightly or wrongly?

Press releases
Published on November 6, 2019

Two Quebecers out of three consider that seniors are a road safety hazard.(1) That’s a lot! But let’s look at the facts. In reality seniors pay more attention to the road, take fewer risks, and have considerably more experience. If everyone followed the rules as well as they do, would we still see them as a hazard?

So why are they seen as “dangerous.”

Respondents were much more likely to cite physical limitations than carelessness as a road safety problem. Among those who consider that seniors are dangerous drivers, a large majority have the impression that seniors have lost their reflexes (92%), that they don’t see as well (54%), and that they’re too slow (52%).

But while respondents put the blame on physical ailments, they also support a number of solutions explored in the survey:

  • 62% of Quebecers think that seniors should have to pass a driving test to keep their licence. 
  • 48% think that legal restrictions should be imposed on seniors, such as being prohibited from driving at night or during rush hour.
  • 18% of Quebecers believe that people should have their driver’s licence withdrawn as of a certain age. 

Please note

This was an opinion poll, and CAA-Quebec does not necessarily share these opinions. The privilege of driving is based on ability, not age. We can be capable of driving at age 91 and incapable at age 19! The key to seniors’ mobility is adaptation. And CAA-Quebec can help, starting with its practical guide, There’s No Age Limit for Safe Driving.

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“Being a good driver is not about how old you are, but how healthy you are!  Aging can play tricks on us. We have to change the way we drive, and CAA-Quebec can help.”

- Marco Harrison, Director of the CAA-Québec Foundation

It’s tough to have your driver’s licence taken away.

It’s not easy to tell a loved one they have to give up their driver’s licence, or so say a majority (63%) of those who’ve been through it. But when that time comes, family members often have a role to play. It’s tough, and some respondents would have liked more help.

But are seniors disproportionately the cause?

According to the latest SAAQ road safety record (Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec), those 75 and over were involved in 3.9% of road accidents, whereas they represent 6.8% of all licence holders. Most of these accidents caused material damage only. According to Statistics Canada, people 75 and over represent 8% of the population. So this age group is hardly the main culprit. CAA-Quebec does believe it’s important to support seniors through the process of losing their driver’s licence. However, it’s also important to stop considering them as a road safety issue. People between the ages of 25 and 34 are the ones most frequently involved in accidents.

Assessing the abilities of older drivers

It’s hard to know when a senior should give up their driver’s licence. But there are a few things we can test for to see whether there is a need:

  • Does the senior remember to buckle their seatbelt?
  • Do they have difficulty working the pedals?
  • Do they have trouble turning onto busy streets or entering highways?
  • Do they check blind spots?
  • And so on…

For the complete checklist, see the guide There’s No Age Limit for Safe Driving by the CAA-Quebec Foundation. You have to prepare for losing your licence. It’s a stage of life that can be unsettling. But with help, you can get through it.

About the CAA-Quebec Foundation

The mission of the CAA-Quebec Foundation, created in 2008, is to help advance knowledge in the area of traffic safety. To that end, it conducts research and acts as a resource complementing other Quebec-based specialists and organizations active in the field. CAA-Quebec, a not-for-profit organization, provides all of its members with peace of mind by offering them high-quality automotive, travel, residential and insurance benefits, products and services.

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(1) Léger survey conducted on behalf of CAA-Quebec from August 15 to 26, 2019, with 1002 respondents. The maximum margin of error for this survey is plus or minus 3.1%.