Now, the imbalance that causes older people to fall has been linked to another consequence: car crashes. Older people who have fallen have about a 40 per cent greater risk of getting into an automobile crash than those who have not, according to a study of existing research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Though the study mentions tai chi, a martial art that emphasises balanced movement, almost any regular form of balancing exercise that gets people out of the sedentary mode will help.