THE IMPACT OF AN AGING POPULATION ON TRANSPORTATION SAFETY AND SECURITY

The importance of mobility to an elderly person's quality of life has been clearly noted by many organizations. As the Canadian National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) states, an elderly person's ability to get out to see friends, shop, or visit a health professional, in winter as well as summer, is closely tied to life satisfaction and is vital to full participation in life. Lack of safe and secure transportation can act as a barrier to elderly persons (and persons of all ages), negatively affecting their mobility and their quality of life. This paper is a summary of a research report, "Canada's Aging Population: Implications Related to Transportation Safety and Security", TP 13040E, completed for Transport Canada by the Ottawa firm Gross Gilroy Inc. The paper presents findings from this report in a way that may be useful to planners, researchers, policy analysts, etc., in other countries. The report explores the issue of safety and security from the perspective of all modes (i.e., drivers and passengers of motor vehicles, pedestrians, and users of public modes of transportation, including air, rail, intercity bus, and public transit). It includes an overview of measures for improving safety and security, and of current research and initiatives. This summary is presented under the following headings: Who Are the Elderly, Travel Characteristics of the Elderly, Motor Vehicle Safety, Pedestrian Safety, Safety and Security of Public Modes of Transportation, Current Research, and The Impact.