Transcript Case reviews - Home — Road Safety Scotland

IDENTIFYING AND DESIGNING
FOR THE NEEDS OF OLDER
ROAD USERS
Lucy Rackliff
VSRC, Loughborough University, UK
Road Safety Seminar
October 2009
Introduction

Background

Study methodology

Conclusions - What do older people
struggle with?

What measures can help?
Background – why older people?

“susceptible to
physical injury”

A diverse group.

Growing importance
of older drivers –

Over 2 million drivers
aged 70+ (UK)

Rising to 4 million by
2010
What are the issues?
Casualty rates by miles travelled
Casualty rate/million miles
14.0
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
< 17
Pedestrian
17-20
21-29
Cyclist
30-39
40-49
Age
Car driver
50-59
Car passenger
60-69
70+
Bus/coach user

Different problems

But – maintaining mobility is very important
Importance of maintaining mobility

Older drivers can feel pressured into
not driving

This may increase accidents by
introducing new risks

Driving is linked to identity, social
activity, mental & physical health
Study Methodology

Case study city (Coventry)

Two questionnaires, one about
infrastructure, one about mobility, transport
habits etc

Accident data

Examination of physical features of road
infrastructure.
Coventry

13th biggest UK city

Population 300,000

Central location

A useful case-study
from which to
generalise results to
other cities.
Infrastructure

Difficulty of influencing
behaviour through
education or enforcement.

Policy implementation is
within the power of local
authorities.

EuroRAP, sustainably safe
have raised the profile.

Infrastructure can
influence behaviour.
Questionnaire (1)
40


Fewer respondents
are very elderly
These are the people
most likely to have
significant problems
35
30
25
20
Series1
15
10
5
0
60-64 years
65 – 69yrs
70 – 74 yrs
75 – 80 yrs
Age not given
Questionnaire (2)
What do older drivers find difficult?



Signalised multi-lane
roundabouts = 57%
Unsignalised multilane roundabouts =
19%
Not at junction a small
percentage
% of locations
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Multi-lane
roundabout (not
signalised)
Multi-lane
roundabout
(signalised)
Other signalised
junction
Not junction
location could not
be identified
Why did they find it difficult?
% of locations
35
30
These issues link to the
idea of “task difficulty”
25
20
15
10
5
0
Confusing design
Inadequate
information
Speed/volume of Poor sight-lines
traffic
Other
Task difficulty
Task
Difficulty
Amount of
information
Complexity of
Traffic
Driver
Strategy
Quality of
information
Presence of time
pressure
Requirement to
judge other traffic

Measures incompatibility between driver workload
& capability

It is influenced by features of the road
environment, but also by the driver
Accident Statistics (1)

3+ KSI accidents

One or more vehicle occupant aged 65+

Two year time span

Location accurate up to 50m
Case study location

Looking at both questionnaire responses
and accident data, a useful/interesting
location was identified
Tollbar End

Junction of A45/A46 Eastern bypass

Carries Birmingham – London traffic and
Southwest-Northeast traffic.

Carries approximately 86,000 vehicles per
day.

Operates significantly above design
capacity.
Northwest approach
Specific issues highlighted

“marked very poorly”

“lanes very difficult to follow…”

“many large lorries… very
intimidating…visibility for oncoming traffic
very restricted”

“speed/volume of traffic make it difficult to
exit..”
Main problems

Insufficient time to process volume of information.

Unpredictable traffic movements due to poor lane
discipline, traffic signals, pedestrian crossings &
congestion frequently leading to blocked exits.

Wrong lane choices difficult to correct because of
traffic flow.

Presence of many large vehicles whose size
prevents them from staying in lance.
Recommendations

Consultation

Enacting of design standards

Driver retraining

Higher priority given to maintaining
independent mobility.

Feedback to correct false risk perceptions.

Higher priority in vehicle design.
What would help?

Lowering speeds

Rationalising the
information

Signals?
Conclusions

Specific difficulties faced by older drivers
are not always well-understood, though
the processes that cause them are well
documented.

Less weight given in the design of road
infrastructure compared to other types.

Older drivers are aware of their needs and
limitations & should be consulted more
widely.
Further work

Calculation of a measure to score
infrastructure design for accessibility.

Broadening of research to encompass
other types of vulnerable road user.

Design guidelines – similar to those for
other types of transport infrastructure – for
roads
Questions?

www.erso.eu

[email protected]