The number of elderly people who will die in car accidents is set to rise dramatically over the next 30 years, researchers are warning.

Doctors in the US have predicted that one in four fatal road crashes will involve drivers over the age of 65 by 2030.

The projections are based on the fact that the general population is ageing and more people are continuing to drive when they get older.

We wouldn't support an age restriction

Andrew Howard, AA

The doctors have called for changes to car designs and clearer road signs in an attempt to reduce the predicted rise in deaths.

Fatal crashes

Dr Susan Ferguson and colleagues at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in Virginia based their findings on studies of fatal car crashes across the US between 1985 and 1995.

During that period, the number of older people involved in fatal accidents increased by one third.

Elderly drivers were also more likely to have an accident compared with other drivers, except those aged between 16 and 19 years.

The researchers used that information to predict that the number of drivers over the age of 65 involved in fatal crashes will increase by 155 per cent by 2030.

This compares with a projected increase in fatal accidents for drivers in all other age groups of 39%.

By that time, elderly people are expected to account for one in five US driving licences. However, according to the authors, they will account for one in four fatal accidents.

Writing in the journal Injury Prevention, Dr Ferguson said: "Older drivers are growing in numbers at a greater rate than other age groups, keeping their licences longer, and driving more miles per license holder.

"These trends are expected to continue. Thus, older drivers will become an increasing proportion of the overall motor vehicle crash problem."

Age limit

The authors stop short of calling for an upper age restriction on driving. But they suggest that modifications to cars could help to save lives.

These include making adapting airbags and seat belts to make them more responsive to older people's bodies.

They added that increasing the size and improving the visibility of road signs could also be of particular benefit to elderly drivers.

Andrew Howard, road safety officer at the AA, said steps were being taken to try to improve elderly driver safety in the UK by making road signs clearer.

He added that the association would not support an age restriction for older drivers.

"We wouldn't support an age restriction. If you are going to tell elderly people they are more likely to kill themselves driving, you will also have to tell them that there are similar risks for taking buses and driving," he told BBC News Online.

"The fact is older people are more frail and are more likely to be killed in road accidents. However, they are not posing a danger to others."