Mobile older citizens : with or without a car

• Transport and mobility for older people are important both from an individual and a societal perspective. Being mobile enables older people to participate in activities outside home and promotes health, functional capacity and autonomy. This paper focuses on older drivers' assessment of their driving and questions about what measures would be needed in the future to enhance mobility among older people. The present study is based on about 2,000 drivers over 70 years old in Sweden who answered a questionnaire in autumn 2012. It identifies how older people (70+) assess their own health status and skills as drivers and map their reported driving trajectories. For example, situations/scenarios challenging for older drivers and which may increase driving regulation. The participants stated themselves as healthy persons who drive frequently and safely. Only 6 % had considered to stop driving. However, driving during adverse weather conditions (rain, fog, snowfall), in an unfamiliar town or on slippery roads was avoided by about half of the respondents.Large gender differences were found: female drivers avoided these and other situations to a much higher degree. A few of the respondents reported that they temporarily suspended their car driving for shorter periods due to sickness, surgery or medication. From other studies it is known that some older drivers quit driving because they cannot afford to own a car. Therefore, more knowledge is needed about variations among the older citizens, according to e.g. gender, age, living conditions and financial resources. It would be necessary to develop further measures to maintain and enhance older people's mobility. For example, an affordable technical support system in the cars with recommendations for older drivers how to use it and when older people cannot or do not want to drive, there is a need for models for better understanding of the whole journey and the traffic environment, e.g. the possibility to combine various transport modes.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Old people

Mobility (pers)

Interview

Safety

Attitude (psychol)

Driving aptitude

11 Road: Personal transport

11 Road: Personal transport

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kon (subject category)