Developmental Changes in Highway Design for Older Drivers

According to the national demographic structure, Korea has been aging much faster. The country will become a super-aged society whose population aged 65 or older tops 25% by 2030 if this social trend maintains. Entering the aged society means the increase of social activities by the aged people. The phenomenon would eventually result in new type of transportation problems that highway users have never experienced before. In this paper, we try to diagnose the impact of highway environment caused by the rapidly aging phenomenon. Improvement of highway facilities based upon the view of the highway design will be considered for the mobility and accessibility focusing on the elderly. It will address the medical and psychological issues related to the functional limits by the older drivers, including physical and mental analyses. In addition, some suggestions will also be made in design standards and design elements of highway reflecting the driving behaviour by the elderly.