Seniors Account for 32% of Traffic Deaths in the Bay Area

Older people make up a disproportionate number of traffic fatalities in Northern California’s Bay Area, reports Panashe Matemba-Mutasa in The Mercury News.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), between 2019 and 2023, 32 percent of traffic deaths in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda and Contra Costa counties were people over 60, who make up just 16 percent of the region’s total population.

As the article explains, “Issues like incomplete sidewalks, short crossing times, and turns conflicting with pedestrian crossings all make intersections more precarious. Seniors on foot may move more slowly, use walkers or have trouble seeing, and are more likely to be severely injured in even minor crashes.” 

Traffic safety interventions such as slower speeds and improved pedestrian infrastructure can make roads safer for seniors and all users. A new California state ‘daylighting’ law prohibits parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk to improve visibility at intersections.