Because its easier. You don't get the same level of effective protest and general bitching about being hard done by from the under 24yo group.

I would love to know the answer to that question. IMHO the most frequent drivers to pull out without looking, brake suddenly or drive eratically, and speed on passing lanes and do 80kms on the regular road, are older people (I'd say 50 years +).

Younger people may pose alot, drive round and round the centre of town, and rev their cars while doing it, but I've never actually had an experience with them like I have with older drivers.

Doing the arithmetic on Dave's numbers to find the info he didn't give us, it seems 104 under-24 year-olds have been killed this year to date compared with 107 last year. So they are still dying at roughly twice the rate of older drivers.

It's a fair guess that distance-driven by young drivers has fallen disproportionately in the recession since their unemployment figures are very high.

Not that I am disagreeing with the premise that some oldies on the road are a major hazard, but are you not confusing "who causes" with "who dies" or did I miss something in your article?

There seem to have been several incidents lately where the person at fault hasn't been the one who's copped it.

@ ugly #4 That's a very good point actually. Seems the implication is that it is automatically the fault of the deceased. Frequently the "fault" is being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

ugly #4 2:49pm

True that. It's always worth looking at who the driver of the offending vehicle is rather than who the victims are.

Lies, Lies, and damned statistics!

Considering 15-25 year lods only make up 15% or so of the total population, aren't they over represented with 34% plus of the road fatalities?

As a licence-holder for 55 years I probably shouldn't be commenting here. However, has anyone been stuck behind a car (it used to be a Morris 1100 with a driver who wears a battered trilby) proceeding at around 80kmh on the open road with a constantly right-turning flasher.

They are a hazard but do they get a ticket for impeding traffic flow and encouraging dodgy overtaking and a possible accident. No way, it is the poor sod doing a safe 120kmh that cops it.

I see lots of "mature" drivers in huge SUVs, tricked up HSV Commoddores and XR8 Falcons on the open road blasting at 120kph plus and overtaking in the most ridiculous places. Drivers who seem to spend 99% of the time in the 50 kph city zones and then are unable to cope with 100kph country driving.

As an ex-Driver Testing Officer I was gobsmacked when Clark's Labour Government dropped the practical test requirement for over 80's. Another of her cynical grabs for votes. Too many elderly drivers are simply dangerous. They can barely cope as long traveling the same route everyday as so many do, but put them in an unfamiliar situation and they are lethal. The experience of an elderly driver I was testing pulling out in front of a truck and trailer unit traveling at 80 km/h is not one I wish to repeat.