Driving life expectancy of persons aged 70 years and older in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: We estimated total life expectancy and driving life expectancy of US drivers aged 70 years and older.

METHODS: Life table methods were applied to 4699 elderly persons who were driving in 1993 and reassessed in a 1995 survey.

RESULTS: Drivers aged 70 to 74 years had a driving life expectancy of approximately 11 years. A higher risk of mortality among men as a cause of driving cessation offset a higher risk of driving cessation not related to mortality among women that resulted in similar driving life expectancies.

CONCLUSIONS: Nationwide, many elderly drivers quit driving each year and must seek alternative sources of transportation. Because of differences in life expectancy, women require more years of support for transportation, on average, than men after age 70.