Organ donors in the Netherlands are getting older, with the average age rising from 43 to 55 over the past 20 years.

The rise is partly due to the reduction in road traffic accidents, meaning fewer organs become available for donation, Trouw reports on Tuesday.

The figures come from the Dutch transplant foundation.

Twenty years ago, there were some 1,500 road deaths a year but that has now fallen to 500. Despite the increase in age of the donors, transplants are successful because of improved surgical techniques, Trouw says.

By the beginning of last year, one in four of the Dutch was included on the official register as a potential donor.