Highway Safety Program Urges Families to Discuss Safe Driving With Older Adults

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week begins December 1 as officials highlight risks and encourage family conversations.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) is urging families and caregivers to talk with older drivers about roadway safety as part of Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, observed December 1–5, 2025.
Officials say mobility and independence are vital for adults age 65 and older, who now make up about 18 percent of the U.S. population. However, age‑related changes and certain medications can affect driving ability.
“The topic of driving may feel sensitive for many older drivers,” GHSP Director Jack McNeely said. “We encourage family members and caregivers to have a conversation about safe driving with the older adults in their lives. Helping older drivers understand how physical and cognitive changes may affect driving abilities can help extend independent driving or determine how best to handle driving scenarios.”
National statistics show that between 2014 and 2023, the number of people age 65 and older increased by 28 percent, while fatal crashes involving older drivers rose 41 percent. In 2023 alone, 7,891 people age 65 and older were killed in traffic crashes, accounting for 19 percent of all traffic fatalities.
In West Virginia, 329 fatal crashes between 2019 and 2023 involved drivers age 65 and older, representing 27 percent of all fatal crashes statewide.
The GHSP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are encouraging families to plan ahead for safe mobility options, show compassion during conversations, and support older drivers by attending medical appointments and encouraging them to discuss driving concerns with healthcare providers.
For more information on older driver safety, visit NHTSA.gov/OlderDrivers.