Under SAFETEA-LU, FHWA provides funding that states may use to  implement highway maintenance or construction projects that can enhance  older driver safety. Some States Have Implemented FHWA’s Recommended Practices and Considered Older Drivers in Highway Safety Plans and Programs, but Other Safety Issues Generally Receive Greater Priority

State DOTs have, to varying degrees, incorporated FHWA’s older driver  safety practices into their design standards; implemented the practices in  construction, operations, and maintenance activities; trained technical  staff in applying the practices; and coordinated with local agencies to  promote the use of the practices. Nearly half of the states have incorporated about half or  more of FHWA’s practices into their design standards, as follows: 24 state DOTs reported including about half, most, almost all, or all of  the recommendations. However, state STIPs may contain projects that will benefit older drivers. More than Half of States Have Implemented Some Assessment Practices for Older Drivers, and NHTSA Is Sponsoring Research to Develop More Comprehensive Assessments

More than half of state licensing agencies have implemented assessment  practices to support licensing requirements for older drivers that are more  stringent than requirements for younger drivers. These requirements generally include more frequent  license renewal, mandatory vision screening, in-person renewals, and  mandatory road tests. For example, our review of  state assessment practices indicates that all states screen for vision, but we  did not find a state with screening tools to evaluate physical and cognitive  functions. While research indicates that in-person license  renewal is associated with lower crash rates—particularly for those aged  85 and older—other assessment practices, such as vision screening, road  tests, and more frequent license renewal cycles, are not always associated  with lower older driver fatality rates. In addition to coordinating groups, the six states have ongoing efforts to  improve older driver safety in the areas of strategic planning, education  and awareness, licensing and driver fitness assessment, engineering, and  data analysis. However, state resources are limited, so information on other states’  initiatives or federal efforts to develop standards for the driving  environment and on driver fitness assessment practices could assist states  in implementing improvements for older driver safety. Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

This report addresses (1) what the federal government has done to  promote practices to make roads safer for older drivers and the extent to  which states have implemented those practices, (2) the extent to which  states assess the fitness of older drivers and what support the federal  government has provided, and (3) what initiatives selected states have  implemented to improve the safety of older drivers.
Why GAO Did This Study

As people age, their physical, visual, and cognitive abilities may decline, making it more difficult for them to drive safely. Older drivers are also more likely to suffer injuries or die in crashes than drivers in other age groups. These safety issues will increase in significance because older adults represent the fastest-growing U.S. population segment. GAO examined (1) what the federal government has done to promote practices to make roads safer for older drivers and the extent to which states have implemented those practices, (2) the extent to which states assess the fitness of older drivers and what support the federal government has provided, and (3) what initiatives selected states have implemented to improve the safety of older drivers. To conduct this study, GAO surveyed 51 state departments of transportation (DOT), visited six states, and interviewed federal transportation officials.

What GAO Found

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has recommended practices--such as using larger letters on signs--targeted to making roadways easier for older drivers to navigate. FHWA also provides funding that states may use for projects that address older driver safety. States have, to varying degrees, adopted FHWA's recommended practices. For example, 24 states reported including about half or more of FHWA's practices in state design guides, while the majority of states reported implementing certain FHWA practices in roadway construction, operations, and maintenance activities. States generally do not place high priority on projects that specifically address older driver safety but try to include practices that benefit older drivers in all projects. More than half of the states have implemented licensing requirements for older drivers that are more stringent than requirements for younger drivers, but states' assessment practices are not comprehensive. For example, these practices primarily involve more frequent or in-person renewals and mandatory vision screening but do not generally include assessments of physical and cognitive functions. While requirements for in-person license renewals generally appear to correspond with lower crash rates for drivers over age 85, the validity of other assessment tools is less clear. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is sponsoring research and other initiatives to develop and assist states in implementing more comprehensive driver fitness assessment practices. Five of the six states GAO visited have implemented coordination groups to assemble a broad range of stakeholders to develop strategies and foster efforts to improve older driver safety in areas of strategic planning, education and awareness, licensing and driver fitness assessment, roadway engineering, and data analysis. However, knowledge sharing among states on older driver safety initiatives is limited, and officials said states could benefit from knowledge of other states' initiatives.