Nicole Raz
WMAL

WASHINGTON (WMAL) — Drivers are sharing the road with more 85-year-olds than ever before. The number of 85-year-old drivers has doubled in the last fifteen years, according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).

“Drivers over 85 years old are among the fastest growing demographic groups,” FHA spokesman Doug Hecox told WMAL. “There are about 3.5 million drivers on the roads that are about 85 years old or older, and that does not appear to be slowing down.”

For the auto industry, that’s good news.

“There’s a lot more older people buying cars from the dealership than there were ten years ago,” says Adam Portzel, who is an automotive marketing specialist in the DMV area.

Portzel told WMAL that while seniors are living and staying active longer, cars have also just gotten better.

“If I’m an old person then I need car that’s going to make me feel comfortable, that I feel safe in, and at the same time it’s almost going to do more on its own. It’s going to beep when I get to close to that car because I can’t turn my heal all the way around like a 30 year old,” Portzel said.

Having more older drivers on the roads is having a trickle down effect on safety, Hecox added.

“The more things we can do to make the roads safer for older drivers makes them safer for every one else,” like brighter, illuminated roadway signs, Hecox said. “Older drivers are actually helping all Americans be safer.”

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