Senior Drivers Are Involved in About 22 Fatal Crashes Every Day During the Thanksgiving Month

Key Takeaways

• North Dakota ranks first nationwide, with senior drivers involved in 35.00% of fatal crashes recorded in November on average from 2020 through 2024. Kansas follows at 31.76%, while New Hampshire ranks third at 31.48%.

• Florida records the highest average annual number of November fatal crashes involving senior drivers, at 62.4, followed by Texas at 52.4 and California at 50.6. These figures show that states with more fatal crashes overall can record higher numbers of senior-involved crashes, even when the senior-driver share is comparatively lower.

• Delaware records the lowest share of November fatal crashes involving senior drivers, at 10.87%, followed by New Mexico at 14.20% and Vermont at 14.29%. The findings show substantial differences between states in the proportion of November fatal crashes involving senior drivers.

November brings Thanksgiving travel and seasonal gatherings, placing added attention on road safety. Older drivers may face challenges related to vision, reaction time, mobility, road conditions, or journey timing. However, senior-driver involvement alone does not establish that age caused a crash or that older drivers are inherently unsafe.

The study, by Breakstone, White & Gluck, a Boston-based personal injury law firm, examines state-level November fatal crash data from 2020 through 2024, comparing average annual fatal crashes with those involving senior drivers. It ranks states by the percentage involving senior drivers, rather than total crash counts.

The 10 U.S. States Where Senior Drivers Account for the Highest Share of November Fatal Crashes

North Dakota leads, with senior drivers involved in 35.00% of November fatal crashes on average. Kansas ranks second at 31.76%, followed by New Hampshire at 31.48%. Wyoming and Minnesota complete the top five at 30.61% and 28.82%. These percentages are not crash rates per senior resident or measures of individual driving risk.

The States With the Highest Average Annual Number of November Fatal Crashes Involving Senior Drivers

Florida records the highest average annual number of November fatal crashes involving senior drivers, at 62.4, followed by Texas at 52.4 and California at 50.6. North Carolina and Georgia rank fourth and fifth at 31.0 and 24.6. A state can record more senior-involved fatal crashes while having a smaller overall share.

The 10 U.S. States With the Lowest Shares of November Fatal Crashes Involving Senior Drivers

Delaware has the lowest share, at 10.87%, followed by New Mexico at 14.20% and Vermont at 14.29%. California and Texas also rank near the bottom at 14.54% and 16.22%, despite their higher annual counts. This underscores the distinction between total crashes and the share involving senior drivers. Because the ranking uses percentages, states with small crash totals may rank highly when crashes involve senior drivers.

Methodology

This study examines state-level November fatal crash data from 2020 through 2024, comparing average annual fatal crashes with those involving senior drivers. It ranks states by the percentage involving senior drivers, rather than total crash counts.

Data Sources

November Fatal Crash Data:

https://cdan.dot.gov/query

Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WcQVIAAz9WSHTB4GNnHZldyu9ypPiFMh2m6nvwKQYVk/edit?gid=0#gid=0

Study by: https://www.bwglaw.com/

About Breakstone, White & Gluck

Breakstone, White & Gluck is a Boston personal injury law firm with more than 30 years of experience representing individuals and families affected by traumatic brain injuries, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, and negligence. The firm is committed to public safety awareness and injury prevention.