Regulating Older Drivers

Are older drivers posing increasing risk to the public? If so, what public policies might mitigate that risk? Older drivers (those 65 and older) are slightly likelier than drivers aged 25 to 64 to cause an accident, but drivers aged 15 to 24 are nearly three times likelier than older drivers to do so. The authors of this paper conclude that stricter licensing policies targeting older drivers would likely not improve traffic safety substantially.

Are older drivers posing increasing risk to the public? If so, what public policies might mitigate that risk? Older drivers (those 65 and older) are slightly likelier than drivers aged 25 to 64 to cause an accident, but drivers aged 15 to 24 are nearly three times likelier than older drivers to do so. The authors of this paper conclude that stricter licensing policies targeting older drivers would likely not improve traffic safety substantially.

By the turn of the century, the elderly will comprise about 20 percent of the population in North America, and 28 percent of those who drive. Place this percentage in high-powered automobiles, and the need for planning and policy development becomes evident. Most standard research on elderly drivers has not gone beyond gathering data on specific situations or characteristics. This book rises beyond simple statistical presentation. It blends sociological insight with statistical detail to produce an absorbing description of the elderly drivers' daily lives, driving styles, experiences with accident and injury, social relationships, and life aspirations. It also describes areas of neglect: imagined and real health problems, driving exposure and traffic violations, accidents, and loss of self-esteem. It presents In-depth accounts of the trauma of loss of license and the Importance of the automobile for sustaining mental, physical, and social well being. The self-Imposed or self-defined rules elderly drivers use to navigate traffic or compensate for physical frailities are described in depth. The Safety of Elderly Drivers Includes penetrating comments from elderly drivers who have been involved in serious accidents, and from random elderly drivers speaking for their generation of drivers. Integrating statistical findings based on Motor Vehicle Department accident data and survey data with comprehensive interviews and discussions with elderly drivers. the book provides an emperically grounded. In-depth view of the elderly driver today. Rothe summarizes theories and models of aging. along with past research on elder[y drivers. projecting what the future may hold If present trends in medicine. housing. politics. migration. and mass transit continue. It closes with a series of recommendations for future traffic planning. This book will be of Interest to policymakers concerned with traffic safety, as well as social scientists and others Interested In gerontological issues.

Promoting Safe Transportation among Older Adults: Perspectives and Strategies provides a concise, comprehensive, and up-to-date resource on safe mobility for an aging population. The book offers an interdisciplinary perspective for understanding and influencing the behavior of older adults with regard to their safe transportation. It is organized around the professions and disciplines that have a stake in the safe transportation of older adults and the role they play at each stage of their mobility needs. The book also addresses the various strategies that have been used to help keep older adults safe and mobile. Readers will find great insights on key issues related to aging and mobility, giving them an overarching framework for how to maintain safe mobility into older adulthood. The book enables readers to understand the perspectives of the critical groups of people involved in keeping older people safe and explores existing strategies by which an aging individual can maintain safe mobility. Utilizes a multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach for examining the complexities of transportation for older adults Offers an integrated, overarching narrative for understanding the key issues of safety and mobility in our aging society Written by leading transportation and health scholars Offers insights into the perspectives of all the stakeholders, such as hands-on transportation and health practitioners, students of varying levels, researchers and policymakers

This book provides comprehensive information needed to assist with all aspects of designing, delivering, or evaluating transportation systems for use by older adults, and presents the necessary background on aging and human factors issues as well as practical guidelines needed to accommodate older adult transport users. Features Presents clear design guidance aimed at improving usability among older adults, a too often neglected but fast-growing segment of the transportation system population Includes comprehensive coverage of transportation systems, including the notably important issue of older drivers, but also additional transportation forms including public transportation via bus and subway, air transport, rail, bicycle, and even pedestrians Offers numerous examples throughout of best practices based on both the scientific literature and the content expertise of the authors Discusses practical implications of incorporating the recommended design principles for both older adults and other transport system users Provides useful background about normal age-related changes in sensory, cognitive, and physical abilities that impact older adults and how they interact with transportation systems

As the U.S. population ages, so will the population of licensed drivers. Policymakers are concerned that this will lead to increases in traffic accidents and, consequently, injury to property and person. This report investigates how this aging will likely affect traffic safety.