Texas’ Older Drivers
The Issues and the Solutions
Older Drivers:Program Overview
Goal: To help your community become
friendlier to older drivers
Older Drivers are 70+
What are some issues and solutions?
Part of the larger issue of Elderly Mobility.
This program focuses only on older drivers.
National Population: Notice the increase in
the elderly population as the baby-boomers age.
1950 1980 2000 2020
Elderly Non-Elderly
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Elderly Travel: Older drivers are driving more,
particularly since they are moving to rural areas as they retire.
Trips per Person
3.65 3.92
3.45
2.28
Total 55-64 65-74 75+
Elderly Non-Elderly
Source: South East Michigan Council of Governments
Elderly Licensed Drivers: Notice the
large increase in drivers 75 and older. That will accelerate.
+40
Percent Change, 1990 - 1999
+30
+20
< 20
35-39
20 - 24
+10
25-29
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
40-44
70-74
75 +
0
30-34
-10
-20
-30 Elderly Non-Elderly
Source: Texas Department of Transportation
Elderly Crashes: While older folks drive less,
they have a much higher fatal crash rate per mile driven.
Traffic Crash Rate
Non-elderly 55-64 65-74 75+
Fatal crash rate (per 100 million VMT)
Total crash rate (per million VMT)
Source: South East Michigan Council of Governments
Who Benefits? Everyone benefits from extra
highway attention to the older driver.
Registered Drivers (in thousands) -
1800 Texas 1999
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
75+
6-19
0-24
5-29
0-34
5-39
0-44
5-49
0-54
5-59
0-64
5-69
0-74
Traffic Engineering: What challenges do older drivers
face?
Issues
Older drivers face an increased
risk of injury and fatal crashes
Older drivers must confront visual,
mental and physical challenges
What are those challenges and
how can we make more driver
friendly communities for everyone?
Vision Changes: What kind of vision challenges
do older drivers face?
Reductions in Acuity
Reductions in Contrast Sensitivity
Reductions in Visual Field
Restrictions in Area of Visual Attention
Increased Sensitivity to Glare
Decreased Dark Adaptation
Decreased Motion Sensitivity
SAMPLE TREATMENT: larger Street
Name signs help address reductions in
visual function
8-inch letters
4-inch letters
Information Processing Changes:
What are some mental challenges that older drivers face?
Selective Attention: Focusing only on select items
Divided Attention: Handing multiple inputs at once
Processing Speed: Perception and reaction time
Working Memory: Recalling features of the driving
environment
SAMPLE TREATMENT: advance information signs an
markings can help address changes in information
processing skills.
Advance lane assignment - signs, markings
Physical Mobility Changes: What are
some physical challenges that older drivers face?
Reduced Strength, Flexibility and Range
of Motion:
•Arms and shoulders
•Legs, knees, ankles, and feet
•Head and neck
SAMPLE TREATMENT: re-align skewed
intersections to improve sight lines to help address
flexibility changes
redesign created a 90 degree
intersecting angle
SAMPLE TREATMENT: 25–30 foot curb radius to
help address strength and flexibility changes
12 ft. radius
Elderly Mobility: Providing alternative transportation keeps
the elderly mobile while reducing risks associated with driving.
Issues
Transit dependency: Is your
community too dependent on cars?
Perceived problems with existing
forms of alternative transportation:
Can people get affordable access to
alternative forms of transportation?
Lack of or gaps in core level
services: What core services are needed
most in your community?
Elderly Mobility: What can you do to improve elderly
mobility in your community?
Recommendations
Establish baseline service in
every Texas county
Seek additional and long-term
funding for baseline services
Develop and support regional,
centralized resource centers
Seek to remove barriers to
providing transportation across
adjacent service areas
Elderly Mobility:Housing and land use are important
since they impact access to services, the need to drive more, and senior
independence
Issues
Population growth: Where are seniors
moving in your county, and are services
accessible there?
Impacts on development: Where
should elderly housing be located?
Housing and service needs: How
much housing is needed and are services
accessible there?
Elderly Mobility:Health and mobility are tightly linked.
Communities with better access to health care create more
independence for seniors.
Issues
Relationship between health and
mobility: What kind of access to health
services do seniors enjoy in your
community?
Lack of knowledge and
understanding: Policy makers and
decision makers need to understand senior
mobility issues in every Texas community.
Elderly Mobility: Older driver traffic safety is an
important issue since we have a society that is overly dependent on
personal vehicles.
Issues
Auto dependency: Are elderly very
dependent on cars for access to services?
Increase in elderly licensed drivers:
This trend will accelerate as the baby
boomers age.
Sign of independence: Driving is an
important sign of independence for seniors.
Yet, it is also a responsibility.
Elderly Mobility:Knowledge and awareness are
important to promote elderly mobility among community leaders and
members.
Issues
Lack of knowledge limits options
and resources
Coordination is needed to promote
awareness
Older Drivers and Elderly
Mobility: What can You Do?
Generate Support for Action: Talk to people in
your community.
Introduce the Idea to your Coalition: Get your
coalition behind these important issues.
Use the Older Driver Toolkit: This will help you
assess your community’s needs.
Approach Community Engineers: Get their
views.
Examine the Elderly Mobility Issue: Look
beyond the older driver issue to the bigger issue of elderly
mobility.