This report is of a study within the project 'The Elderly in the Traffic of Drenthe', Netherlands. Within this project, solutions are looked for to reduce the number of victims among older road users in (the northern Province of) Drenthe. This study aims to discover which infrastructural adjustments can contribute towards reducing the number of older road accident victims. Based on the available literature, an inventory has been made of which infrastructural measures can be taken to increase the safety of older road users (car drivers as well as cyclists and pedestrians). The relevant measures are discussed. The study is concerned with measures that take the functional limitations of the older road user into account and that are relevant for the traffic situations in which there are relatively many accidents involving the elderly in which they are the responsible party. Preceding this, the concomitant functional limitations of old age are described, and those accident types in which the elderly appear to be more often responsible. The design elements offered all concern intersections (at-grade) and (grade separated) interchanges. The recommendations regarding their implementation are aimed at: (1) giving the road user more time to observe things, to base decisions on these observations, and then to carry out a manoeuvre. These include greater sight distances, timely warnings of changes in the lane configuration, and long acceleration lanes; (2) creating clear and orderly situations. These include positive offsets of opposite left-turn lanes and traffic islands for phased crossing over; and (3) are aimed at allowing important features of the infrastructure to be prominently present. These include clearly contrasting marking (including maintenance) and emphasizing the correct driving direction.
Samenvatting