ROAD DESIGN FOR OLDER DRIVERS

Older drivers are involved in significantly more serious injury and casualty crashes per kilometre driven than younger drivers and this rate is expected to increase as older people drive more and the population ages. Road design plays a major role in road safety, but has generally not taken the older road user into consideration. There is therefore a need to take effective action to reduce risk levels to older drivers by designing roads that accommodate the needs and capabilities of this vulnerable road user group. This research program examines the suitability of road design for older drivers, and makes some recommendations for road design features that have the potential to reduce the crash, and possibly injury, risk for older drivers. The findings of the study highlight the difficulty experienced by older drivers of selecting safe gaps at intersections which is exacerbated by factors such as limited sight distance, high task complexity, high traffic volumes, high approach speeds and wide, multi-lane carriageways. Some recommendations are made to target this problem for older drivers including replacing stop and give-way signs with fully controlled traffic signals, provision of roundabouts, and provision of fully controlled right-turn phases. A handbook and training package are being developed to promote these recommendations, ensure they receive maximum use by road authorities, and provide awareness of the difficulties experienced by older drivers. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E205914.