More and more Americans are outliving their ability to drive safely. As a result of impairments in three functions that are important for driving – vision, cognition and motor function – older drivers have a higher crash risk than middle aged adults.
To address this issue, many state driver licensing laws have specific provisions for older drivers.
- 37 States and the District of Columbia have special provisions for mature drivers. These include: accelerated renewal frequency; restriction of online or mailed renewals; vision test; road test; or reduced or waived renewal fees.
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on mature driver laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Laws last reviewed by SHSOs in March 2023. Last updated January 2024.
Short Term Description
As a result of impairments in functions important for driving, older drivers have a higher crash risk than middle aged adults. To address this issue, many state driver licensing laws have specific provisions for older drivers.