Safe mobility for older people.

Transportation is very important to older people. Although environmental and other considerations may not favour increasing use of the motor car, we need to recognise that for many older people driving has become the main form of transportation. Older people do not consider that public transport is adequate or efficient, and it poses problems of security and convenience. As a result, there has been an exponential increase in the number of older drivers in the developed world. In the UK there has been an increase of 200 per cent and 600 per cent respectively in the number of men and women drivers over the age of 65 between 1965 and 1985 (Department of Transport, 1991). Only 5.9 per cent of drivers in the US were over 60 in 1940: this had increased to 7.4 per cent by 1952 and to 11.4 per cent by 1960. This trend is expected to continue so that elderly drivers should comprise 28 per cent of the driving population by the year 2000 and reach 39 per cent by 2050 (National Center for Statistics and Analysis: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1995). Just over one third of the population aged over 80 in Ontario, Canada was driving a motor vehicle at least once a year in (Chipman, Payne and McDonough, 1998). Driving is a skill of huge practical and psychological importance to many older people. Maintaining social contacts, getting to appointments, access to health care and shopping are among the primary functions of driving in older age groups: 77 per cent of drivers over the age of 55 perceive driving as essential or very important (AA Foundation for Road Safety Research, 1988). The psychological importance has been referred to as the 'asphalt identikit' and continued driving by the elderly should be welcomed as a sign of integration into society (Eisenhandler, 1990). The cost of driving cessation is likely to be high: loneliness, lower life satisfaction and lower activity levels are linked with the loss of driving ability among elderly people. (Author/publisher) Paper also included in 'Behavioural research in road safety XII: proceedings of the 12th seminar on behavioural research in road safety', 2002 (p. 112-126; see C 25405 (In: C 25393); ITRD E116893).