ElderSafe: risks and countermeasures for road traffic of the elderly in Europe

By 2050, one in four people will be aged 65 or over. The aging of the population coincides with an increase in older road users since far more elderly will actively participate in traffic. As a result, the road safety situation of the elderly will also change since the normal ageing process makes people more prone to experience functional declines that can make driving a car more difficult. The fatal accident risk for elderly cyclists and pedestrians is also many times higher than for elderly car drivers. In the light of these challenges, this report has explored the road safety risks and main trends for older road user groups (drivers, passengers and pedestrians). Fragility, illnesses and functional limitations, urban roads, walking and medication appear to be the key risk factors of elderly road users. A comprehensive and proactive strategy is required to address these risk factors and meet the safety and mobility needs of elderly road users in the (near) future. This strategy will include all policy levels and needs to apply a “design for all” approach based on a package of interventions in the area of infrastructure, education & training, licensing & enforcement and vehicle & ITS technologies.

• Record URL:
  http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/pdf/studies/eldersafe_final_report.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Published in 2016
• Corporate Authors:

  European Commission. Directorate General for Mobility and Transport

  Brussels,    
• Authors:
  • Polders, E
  • Brijs, T
  • Vlahogianni, E
  • Papadimitriou, E
  • Yannis, G
  • Leopold, F
  • Durso, C
  • Diamandouros, K
• Publication Date: 2015-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 159p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Aged drivers; Cyclists; Mobility; Pedestrians; Policy; Risk assessment; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Safe systems (road users)
• Geographic Terms: Europe
• ATRI Terms: Aged driver; Aged person; Crash countermeasure; Cyclist; Mobility; Pedestrian; Policy; Risk assessment
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Policy;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01599076
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: May 18 2016 9:28AM