The cars on Louisiana’s roads today look very different from those of a decade ago. Backup cameras, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and complex touchscreen infotainment systems have gone from luxury features to standard equipment on many new vehicles. For older drivers — a population that has grown by 28% nationally since 2014 — that rapid evolution raises important questions. Does all this technology actually make senior drivers safer? Are older drivers using it? And could some of it be making things worse? Here’s what the research shows.
Q: Does the technology in newer cars make senior drivers safer?
A: It can, but the full picture is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Research points to real benefits, particularly for older occupants:
- A 2023 report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that if ADAS technologies were installed on all vehicles and used correctly, they could prevent approximately 37 million crashes, 14 million injuries, and nearly 250,000 deaths over the next 30 years.
- Features like blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and rear cross-traffic alerts directly address some of the physical changes that come with aging.
- Research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that side airbags with head and torso protection reduce fatalities in nearside impacts by 45% for occupants ages 70 and older — significantly higher than the 30% reduction seen in younger occupants.
The key qualifier in all of this is that the safety benefits depend on the technology being understood and used correctly. That’s where research points to a consistent gap.
Q: Is it common for older drivers to find technology confusing?
A: Research has found that many older drivers report confusion about how ADAS features actually operate, which can lead to cognitive overload that reduces the system’s effectiveness. Part of the challenge is inconsistency. According to Consumer Reports, which worked with AAA and other safety organizations on standardized naming guidelines, consumers may encounter as many as 20 different names for a single ADAS feature. What one manufacturer calls “side blind zone alert,” another calls “blind spot monitor,” and yet another uses a completely different term. For an older driver getting behind the wheel of a new vehicle, that kind of inconsistency can make an already steep learning curve much steeper.
Q: Are senior drivers even using the advanced features in newer cars?
A: Unfortunately, many senior drivers are not. Despite the increased availability of ADAS, studies show that older drivers’ usage rates remain relatively low, with many reporting minimal or no use of these systems. Many older drivers either figure out features on their own or don’t learn them at all. This means that life-saving safety tools that could genuinely help are often going unused.
Q: Could certain features add to the problem of distracted driving?
A: This is one of the more counterintuitive findings in the research. A 2019 study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that drivers ages 55 to 75 take their eyes off the road for more than eight seconds longer than drivers ages 21 to 36 when performing simple tasks — like programming navigation or adjusting the radio — using in-vehicle infotainment systems.
On a road where traffic is moving at 45 mph, eight seconds represents a significant distance traveled without eyes on the road. The very screens and interfaces designed to make driving more convenient can, for older drivers in particular, become a meaningful source of distraction.
Q: Can overreliance on technology be its own problem?
A: Research suggests it can. NHTSA consistently classifies today’s ADAS features as driver assistance systems, and not autonomous systems. They are designed to support an attentive driver, not replace one. AAA engineers found that notable system failures occurred every nine minutes on average during real-world testing, with the most common incidents requiring driver intervention. When drivers of any age come to rely on these systems as a substitute for their own attention, the limitations of that technology can have serious consequences.
Education Is Vital for Helping Senior Drivers
Understanding the technology, including its benefits and its limitations, is what makes the difference. There are practical steps older drivers and their families can take:
- Get familiar before getting behind the wheel. Review every safety feature in the owner’s manual before driving a new vehicle, not after the first confusing moment on the road.
- Don’t leave the dealership without a walkthrough. Sales staff can demonstrate how each system works and, just as importantly, what it won’t do.
- Consider a formal refresher. AAA’s RoadWise Driver course is built around the specific challenges older drivers face, including navigating today’s vehicle technology.
- Be honest about current ability. AAA also offers a self-assessment tool that can help older drivers — and their families — have a more informed conversation about road safety.
- Factor in health and habits. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that older drivers always wear a seat belt, stick to daylight driving in favorable weather, never drive after drinking, and regularly consult a doctor or pharmacist about any medications that could affect driving ability.
- Think about long-term mobility. The CDC’s MyMobility Plan is a planning tool that can help older adults identify transportation alternatives in their community so they can stay independent even as driving habits change over time.
Questions About an Accident Involving a Senior Driver?
If you or a loved one has been injured in a crash involving a senior driver — or if your older family member was involved in an accident that injured someone else and you wish to discuss the specifics of your case in a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer, please contact us today.