In this issue:

• Older Driver Safety Awareness Week
• National Drunk & Drug-Impaired Driving Prevention Month
• Teen Driving: Survey Insights and Safety Tips to Prevent Risky Behavior on the Road
• Oregon Impact Toolbox: Tools You Can Use 
• Upcoming Events

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Older Driver Safety Awareness Week

During Older Driver Safety Awareness Week (December 1–5, 2025), we remind you that simply getting older doesn’t mean it's time to hang up your keys, but you should evaluate how you — or loved ones — drive.

• In the last 10 years (2014-2023), the number of older drivers involved in fatal crashes increased 41%, while the number of older licensed driver increased 38%.
• From 2022 to 2023 there was a 1% decrease in the number of people 65 and older killed in traffic crashes.
• In 2023 there were 59.2 million people — 18% of the total U.S. population — who were 65 and older.
• The older population traffic fatality rate per 100,000 population in 2023 was 13.32, a decrease of 5% from 13.96 in 2022.
• Older female drivers accounted for 24% of all female driver fatalities in 2023, compared with 17% for the older-male-driver fatalities.
• Among the older population, the traffic fatality rate per 100,000 population in 2023 was highest for the 80-to-84-and-older age group.
• Older drivers made up 22% of all licensed drivers in 2023, compared to 18% in 2014.
• In 2023 most traffic fatalities in crashes involving older drivers occurred during the daytime (70%), on weekdays (68%), and were in multi-vehicle crashes (68%). These percentages are higher compared to all fatalities (46% were during the daytime, 58% were on weekdays, and 46% were in multi-vehicle crashes).
• Among passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2023, when restraint use was known, those occupants 65 and older were restrained 70% of the time, compared to 45% for those occupants under 65.



70% of older pedestrian fatalities in 2023 occurred at non-intersection locations, compared to 85% for those under 65.

How Aging Affects Driving

Medical Conditions

As people age, it's important to monitor changes in overall health as it relates to driving. While some drivers can safely drive into their nineties, for others medical conditions, problems with eyesight, sleep, tremors, or memory can make driving more difficult and dangerous.

Ask yourself, or the older driver in your life:

• Can you remember the routes you often drive?
• Do traffic signs and signals, or other drivers make you feel overwhelmed while driving?
• Have you recently received a ticket or citation for a driving violation, or been in a minor crash?

Medications

Many older people take multiple medications, whether prescribed or over-the-counter. Unfortunately, some of these drugs or a combination of drugs can impair judgment, affect reflexes or the alertness necessary for safe driving. An older driver’s primary care provider or pharmacist can help determine if an older driver’s medications can affect their driving.

Older Drivers and Vehicles

Adapted Vehicles

Many vehicles can be modified to accommodate an older driver’s specific needs by adding adaptive equipment. This equipment can be as simple as a swivel seat for more convenient access, a hand control to make it easier to operate a vehicle, or a pedal extender. Make sure to ask a qualified mobility dealer for training on how to use the equipment.

Driver Assistance Technologies 

Each year, vehicle manufacturers release new and improved driver assistance technologies to help keep road users safer. The technologies include everything from automatic emergency braking to blind spot intervention and lane keeping assistance. Driver assistance technologies aren’t just about keeping drivers safe; they also keep pedestrians and other road users safe.

Resources

NHTSA offers free educational resources for older drivers and older drivers’ caretakers to help make sure everyone can enjoy their later years to the fullest. We, and our many partners from the American Occupational Therapy Association, AARP, AAA, CDC and Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists, encourage drivers and their families to begin a “transportation plan,” much like what many are encouraged to do for retirement.

Aging affects everyone differently. When it comes to driving, it is important to understand the impact age-related changes may have on one’s safe driving ability.

Join the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in encouraging older adults, family members, and caregivers to be proactive about discussing safe mobility and building a transportation plan.

National Drunk & Drug-Impaired Driving Prevention Month

• During the 2019-2023 December months, there were 4,931 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. In December 2023 alone, 1,038 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.
• Nighttime driving in December 2023 was significantly more dangerous than daytime driving, with 30% of drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. being drunk. Almost half (47%) of drivers involved in fatal crashes between the hours of midnight and 2:59 a.m. were drunk.
• In December 2023, drunk male drivers were involved in fatal crashes at a much higher rate (22%) compared to female drivers (18%).
• Young drivers ages 21-34 accounted for the highest percentage (27%) of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal traffic crashes in December 2023.

Yearly national statistics related to this topic are available in our Drunk Driving section. For facts translated in Spanish, visit NHTSA.gov/Espanol.

Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

① Don’t let an empty seat fill your spot at the holiday table. Choose to drive sober this holiday season. Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. 🎄🚙


② A drunk driving crash could wreck all your holiday plans. Plan a safe and sober ride instead:


🔴 Schedule a rideshare


🔴 Call a cab


🔴 Have a sober friend drive you home


③ You’re not just a driver, you’re an important part of someone’s holiday. 🎁🛷 Drive sober and arrive alive — for yourself and your loved ones. Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.


④ Driving drunk isn’t worth the risk. Keep the season joyous — choose a sober ride. ❄️🚙 Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.

Leading into the winter holiday season, a time of frequent celebrations and round-the-clock traffic, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges drivers to make safe choices even before getting behind the wheel and to keep this message in mind: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. It is never okay to drive impaired, so planning to drive sober or to get a sober ride is key to keeping the winter holiday season safe for everyone on the roads.

Drugs impair the skills needed to drive safely. Marijuana is an impairing drug, making it dangerous and illegal to drive under its influence. No individual, family, or community deserves to have their holiday season ruined by impaired driving. We call on drivers to keep the holiday season safe and joyful for everyone by staying sober behind the wheel or planning for a sober ride. Driving under the influence of drugs puts the impaired driver and road users around them at risk of serious injuries and even death. Drivers must always remember that If You Feel Different, You Drive Different.

Violating Oregon’s drug-impaired driving laws can be costly. Many people believe that being high doesn’t affect driving abilities, but they are wrong. It has been proven that marijuana can slow reaction times, impair cognitive performance, and make it more difficult for drivers to keep a steady position in their lane.

Those who plan to use drugs should not drive. Even over-the-counter and prescription medications can have impairing effects. Drivers should secure a designated sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare for a sober ride home.

If a driver finds they are unable to drive, they should give their keys to a sober driver so that person can get them home safely. When a friend has been using drugs and is considering driving, friends should be proactive — take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If anyone spots an impaired driver, contact local law enforcement.



For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drug-impaired-driving 

Teen Driving: Survey Insights and Safety Tips to Prevent Risky Behavior on the Road

Getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time is a huge milestone in a teen’s life. If you’re a parent, it can also be a nerve-wracking experience watching your child drive away on their own after getting their license.

No one wants to think about their children getting into a crash, but the reality is, these tragedies do happen. DiBella Law Injury and Accident Lawyers conducted surveys comparing what teens say they are doing behind the wheel to what parents perceive their teens to be doing.

Starting a conversation on teen driving safety is the first step toward helping your child avoid collisions. That’s why they’ve built a Teen Driver Safety Checklist to help you initiate this discussion and give your teen the insight they need to make good decisions on the road.

Survey Results: How Do the Risks of Teen Driving Differ Between Teens' Behavior and Parents’ Perception

We surveyed 100 teens, age 16-19, and 100 adults with teens in their household to get a clearer picture of teen driving behavior. We also wanted to understand the difference between parents’ perception and what teens actually do in the car. What we discovered was eye-opening: parents and teens live in two very different realities when it comes to road safety. 

First and foremost, 90% of parents think their teen is a safe driver, but they rate other kids, who aren’t their own, much less favorably. Perhaps there is an inherent bias that parents have when evaluating the safety of their own teens. But the numbers don’t lie. When teens report on their own habits, the truth looks very different.

What’s Actually Distracting Teens?

We asked both teens and parents to rank common driving distractions on a scale of 1–5. Here’s what stood out:

• Teens ranked other people in the car as the most distracting.
• Parents, on the other hand, believed general phone use (talking and texting) was the biggest threat.

This disconnect matters. If parents underestimate the power of platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok, they may not be having the right conversations at home.



One thing parents and teens agree on: phones are distracting. Over 50% of parents believe their teen uses a phone while driving and 46% of teens admitted they have used their phone behind the wheel. That’s nearly half — a sobering figure that confirms this is more than just parental paranoia.

Teens Admit to Risky Driving Habits

When asked directly, 45% of teens said they believe they could be safer drivers. This level of self-awareness presents an opportunity: teens know there’s room for improvement — they just need the tools and support to make better choices.

Here’s a rare bright spot in the data. While 65% of parents believe a significant number of teens drink and drive, an overwhelming 93% of teens report they never do. That’s encouraging — but it doesn’t mean the risk is gone. Even one poor decision can have devastating consequences.

The survey also revealed notable gender differences:

• 22% of male teens admit they’ve driven recklessly to impress their friends.
• 52% of males say they could improve their driving habits, compared to 40% of females.

When image and peer approval enter the equation, the stakes rise — especially for young male drivers.

• 20% of teens admit to not wearing a seatbelt in the front seat — a statistic that’s both avoidable and alarming.
• 78% of teens report driving with other teens in the car without an adult present — a practice that’s illegal in some states for inexperienced drivers.

These behaviors may seem harmless in the moment, but they significantly increase the chances of fatal accidents, especially for inexperienced drivers.

The gap between perception and reality is wide — but it doesn’t have to stay that way. By understanding what teens are really facing on the road and how they view their own habits, parents can engage in more effective, honest conversations.

Awareness is the first step toward safer driving for everyone.

Teen Driver Safety Checklist:

12 Habits To Build Behind the Wheel

Having good driving habits helps all drivers stay safe and protect those around them from auto accidents. Go over this pre-driving checklist with your teen to give them the information they need to stay safe every time they’re driving, whether they are close or far from home. 

Here are 12 habits to develop before they head out on their own:

1. Silence your cellphone: Before starting the car, put your phone into “do not disturb” mode to prevent distracting texts and calls while driving. Move the phone somewhere you can’t pick it up without first pulling over, like the back seat or passenger glove box. 
2. Wear a seat belt: Seat belts should be strapped across the shoulder and around the pelvis, holding you across the bony parts of the body. In a collision, the seat belt spreads out the force of the impact, helping reduce the force your body absorbs.
3. Limit passengers: Inexperienced drivers, in particular, can easily get distracted by other passengers in the vehicle. Because of this, state law often restricts who new drivers can drive with. For example, in Massachusetts, new drivers under 18 may not drive with another passenger under 18 unless accompanied by a person over 21with a valid license and at least a year of driving experience who sits in the front seat.
4. Avoid driving late at night: Late-night driving might sometimes be necessary, but try to limit driving after dark when you’re still learning how to handle a vehicle. It can be harder to see at night, increasing the chances of a crash. Drivers with a Junior Operator License may not drive unaccompanied between 12:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. in Massachusetts.
5. Keep your eyes on the road: Getting distracted and looking away from the road for even a few seconds can lead to a crash. It’s important not to “rubberneck” at things happening around or inside the vehicle and instead always focus on what’s happening in front of you.
6. Leave space between vehicles: Tailgating can lead to rear-ending. To avoid it, follow the simple “three-second rule,” leaving at least three seconds of space between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead. To determine that gap, pick a marker ahead of the vehicle in front of you. After it passes that marker, count to three. You should not reach the marker before you say “three.”
7. Turn down the music: While not always the case, music can adversely affect drivers. Choosing the appropriate music, like slower classical or easy listening, can help improve your driving, while faster music can provoke more aggressive driving. 
8. Avoid showing off for others: Racing, revving your vehicle, and other forms of showboating aren’t a great idea and can distract you from what you really need to be doing on the road: watching out for other traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists.
9. Stay defensive: Defensive driving means you’re always watching for other drivers to make mistakes. Mistakes inevitably happen, but if you’re always paying attention, you have a better chance of slowing down, speeding up, or moving out of the way.
10. Avoid driving when tired: When you’re tired, you are more prone to getting into a crash. Your response time may be reduced, and if you start to nod off, you could miss signs of trouble and end up in a collision.
11. Get familiar with directions: A GPS is fantastic for getting you where you need to go, but you don’t want to spend all your time looking at a screen and away from the road. Get to know the street names and locations of the places you go most often so you can drive without needing directions whenever possible.
12. Stick to the speed limit: Speed limits are established for safety reasons. Observing the speed limit reduces the likelihood of a serious or fatal crash and allows you to adequately control your vehicle and stop in time if trouble is ahead.

Oregon Impact Toolbox:

Tools You Can Use

Oregon Impact has a variety of impairment goggles, often referred to as "drunk goggles" — powerful tools designed to simulate the effects of various impairments, such as alcohol or drug intoxication or drowsiness, by distorting vision, balance, and perception, these goggles offer a safe and eye-opening way to understand the challenges and risks associated with impaired functioning.

Here are some easy ways to use them in your community:

1. Educational Campaigns

Impairment goggles are widely used in schools, community events, and workplaces to raise awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence. By attempting to perform simple tasks while wearing the goggles, participants gain insight into the risks associated with impairment.

2. Workplace Safety Programs

Industries that rely on heavy machinery or driving use these goggles to stress the importance of being sober and alert on the job.

3. Common activities with impairment goggles:

• Walking a straight line
• Catching or tossing a ball
• Navigating an obstacle course
• Driving simulators to illustrate the risks of impaired driving

These hands-on experiences often leave a lasting impression, reinforcing the importance of staying sober and focused in critical situations.

The Bottom Line

Impairment goggles are more than just a learning tool; they are a conversation starter. By giving people a glimpse into what it feels like to be impaired, they inspire individuals to think twice about their actions and the consequences. Whether it’s for educational programs or professional training, impairment goggles are an innovative way to promote safety and awareness in our communities.

All our goggles are available for your use at no charge. Please reach out to Anna at anna@oregonimpact.org for reservations.

Remember: The safest choice is to always stay clear-headed, whether on the road or in daily life.

Upcoming Events

• February: Super Bowl | Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk
• March: Vehicle Safety Recalls Week
• March: St. Patrick's Day | Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving
• April: National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Drive Sober, Safe, and Happy!

from your

Friends at Oregon Impact