Designing Roadways to Safely Accommodate the Increasingly Mobile Older Driver: A Plan to Allow Older Americans to Maintain Their Independence

Details

• Corporate Creators:
  Road Information Program
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Aged Drivers Elder Roadway User Program (Florida) Highway Design Highways Highway Safety I82: Accidents And Transport Infrastructure I83: Accidents And The Human Factor Safety And Human Factors Traffic Control Devices
• Resource Type:
  Research Paper
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• TRIS Online Accession Number:
  00960515
• Corporate Publisher:
  Road Information Program
• Abstract:
  With the graying of the Baby Boom generation, the number of older drivers on the road and the amount of driving they do continues to increase. However, along with this increase in the number of older drivers and their level of driving has come a sharp increase in the number of fatalities involving older drivers. Traffic safety improvements designed to make it easier for older drivers to navigate traffic are becoming increasingly important, as the largest generation in American history ages and seeks to maintain a level of mobility that matches their active lifestyles. Roadway improvements can help make driving safer for older Americans, as well as for the population at large. Older drivers are defined in this study as persons aged 70 or older, based on the age when most people start to experience some diminished physical capabilities associated with driving, such as vision, hearing, reaction times and flexibility. Statistics show that the number of older drivers being killed in motor vehicle crashes is increasing. Recent trends indicate that older Americans are more mobile than ever. This study finds certain driving situations are especially challenging or hazardous to elderly drivers. Based primarily on its analysis of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) report, "Older Driver Highway Design Handbook," The Road Information Program (TRIP) recommends a comprehensive set of safety improvements for improving older driver safety. 3 Charts, 16 p. Appendix A, a comparison of the number of older drivers killed by state in 1991 and 2001; Appendix B, the number of older drivers involved in fatal crashes; and, Appendix C, fatalities where older drivers are involved in the crash, are found at the end of the document.
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:a99528c87e667dc4089539bf45a647dd7a2ac15d2dcd525d73fadd1ca9ba5c0a
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/38599/dot_38599_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 177.01 KB ]