Relatives fear for their safety, fellow road-users curse their indecision; but old-age drivers actually pose no greater threat to themselves or other motorists.

In fact, older drivers are safer than most other age groups. By far the most dangerous drivers are recently-qualified young motorists who have not yet honed proper road skills, but who drive with attitude.

Analysis of seven years of crash data reveals that drivers over the age of 70 were involved in 4 per cent of crashes that caused injury even though they represented 8 per cent of drivers. Teenagers and drivers in their twenties, 15 per cent of all drivers, were involved in 34 per cent of crashes that resulted in injury.

The data, published today by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), explodes the myth that older drivers are the real road menace. As the population continues to age and the numbers of drivers in their seventies and eighties are set to grow dramatically, the research has prompted calls for a revision of the current road licencing system.

“We are wondering if 75 might be an alternative. It is an idea we would like floated,” a spokesman said.

Motoring organisations endorsed a change in the law. “It would sound emminently sensible,” said Andrew Howard, head of road safety at the AA. “The 70-year-old of the mid-1970s is very different to the 70-year-old today, who is much fitter.”

The AA published its own data showing that more than 4,200 young drivers have been killed in road accidents in the past decade. More than 440,000 young drivers — greater than the total population of Bristol — were involved in crashes that caused injury, including 110,000 teenagers.

Older drivers are involved in fewer crashes because they drive with greater care and regulate where and when they drive. Many drivers in their seventies, for instance, avoid peak times, do not take to the road in the dark or in wet weather and make fewer motorway journeys.

They are, however, more likely to crash at roundabouts, junctions and on slip roads. Drivers older than 85 are four times more likely to have caused a crash than be the innocent victim of an accident.

Those that are involved in an accident are more than twice as likely to be killed or suffer serious injury because of their increased frailty.

“The report contradicts the common assumption that older drivers are a danger on the roads,” said Neil Greig, IAM Director of Policy and Research.

“The IAM recommends that, rather than seeking to prevent older people from driving, we need to make them aware of the risks they face, and offer them driving assessments to help them cope with these risks.” As well as applying for a new licence at 70, drivers must declare themselves fit to drive and re-apply for their licence every three years. Various motoring organisations offer courses designed to help them adopt safer driving, including courses aimed specifically at widows who have grown accostumed to being driven by their husbands.

IAM studied seven years of data from 2000 to 2006 and found that almost 30,000 drivers over the age of 60 were in crashes in which some one was killed or seriously injured, compared with 28,000 in their fifties.

It said that while 30 years ago only one in three men and one in 20 women aged 70 or over were licenced to drive, today three out of four men and one in three women held a driving licence. It predicts that the number of people aged 65 and over will increase by more than two million in the next decade and that most will continue to drive well after retirement.

Despite the changing demographic on the roads, the Government has no plans to alter the licencing arrangement or to adopt a US-style “restricted” permit. In America and Australia some older drivers who face losing their licence are allowed to continue driving in a defined local area.

“We have absolutely no plans to change licencing arrangements for older drivers,” said a spokesman for the Department for Transport.

Motoring experts agree that a scheme of restricted licences would be difficult to regulate in Britain, where many residential areas are close to busy motorways and trunk roads.

“It is a fairly strange situation where either you do not drive or you can tow a caravan to Malaga,” Mr Howard said. “But the practicalities would just defeat it.”