This paper provides an overview of recent data on the road safety of elderly people in the Netherlands. Compared with the 30 to 50 year-olds, the paper shows that: (1) the road hazard magnitude of elderly road users is higher; (2) older people have more serious accidents; and (3) elderly people, particularly as pedestrian and cyclist, have a considerably high risk of injury accidents. The road hazard of elderly people is mainly caused by three interrelated factors. These factors include: (i) physical vulnerability; (ii) the loss of mental and physical functions; and (iii) a mobility decrease. The possibilities for breaking through this vicious circle are as follows: (a) Slowing down the loss of mental and physical functions of older people by either maintaining or improving their traffic skills. This means that they should be stimulated in order to keep on participating in traffic; (b) Other road users should have more consideration for both the possibilities and limitations of elderly people; and (c) the traffic situations should be modified in such a way that older people can participate in traffic in both a satisfactory and safe way.
Samenvatting