Improving the Safety of Older Road Users (2005) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 14-21
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From page 14... ...
facilitating the eventual transition to mobility alternatives. Recommended new initiatives included an added emphasis on mobility alternatives, development of countermeasures to better protect older adults' more fragile bodies, development of medical practice parameters and guidelines, and conducting studies to support public policy decisions in such areas as medical conditions or functional disabilities and driving safety.
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From page 15... ...
• MPOs -- Anchorage, Atlanta, Auburn–Pelika, Charleston, Chicago, Colorado Springs, Phoenix–Mesa, Portland, and Richmond–Petersburg. The telephone survey asked respondents to rate the extent that older road user considerations influenced their transportation planning processes and the extent to which senior mobility was addressed in both their long- and short-range transportation plans.
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From page 16... ...
The task force was funded by grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the Automobile Club of Southern California. The 28 task force members included representatives from the California Department of Health Services, Commission on Aging, Highway Patrol, DOT, DMV, Area Agencies on Aging, university research centers, Alzheimer's research centers, emergency medical services, AAA clubs, NHTSA, and others.
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From page 17... ...
These include the Medically At-Risk Driver Program, for identifying drivers with medical conditions and functional limitations that place them at increased risk of crashing, and the Shifting Gears in Later Years program, a broad-based education and outreach campaign to assist older adults in staying safely mobile. These initiatives are described in more detail in later sections of this report.
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From page 18... ...
An important area of focus has been the development of policies and design guidelines for pedestrian areas, along with a Pedestrian Design Assistance Program that leverages federal funding to design and construct senior-friendly walking facilities. The Maricopa County Area Agency on Aging has also developed Getting Around: A Transportation and Mobility Guide for Older Adults that, among other things, contains helpful information on transitioning to bus, driver safety programs, Dial-A-Ride and other paratransit services, adaptive driving, and peer travel training.
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From page 19... ...
Florida's and Iowa's plans have already been discussed. Washington State identified the following strategy: "Develop a process whereby physicians can assess driving ability and notify the department of licensing if a driver is unsafe because of medical conditions and/or visual capabilities." In Michigan, the focus is on evaluating road treatments identified as beneficial to older drivers: brighter sign legends, enlarged fonts on guide signs, brighter warning signs, and increased edge line and gore pavement markings.
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From page 20... ...
Just over half of the 22 DOT offices responding to the planning portion of the survey indicated that older road user safety and mobility issues either had been addressed or would be addressed in their state's strategic highway safety plan, and in one-third of the states coalitions or task forces had State Extent MPOs Address Older Road User Issues Extent AAAs Involved Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Iowa Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri New Jersey New York Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Texas Virginia Washington West Virginia Some Some Unknown Most or all Some Some Unknown Unknown Unknown Most or all Few or no Few or no Few or no Few or no Some Most or all Unknown Some Few or no Few or no Unknown Some Few or no Some Unknown Most or all Most or all Some Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Few or no Few or no Few or no Few or no Some Most or all Unknown Few or no Few or no Few or no Unknown Unknown Notes: AAAs = Area Agencies on Aging; MPOs = metropolitan planning organizations.
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From page 21... ...
State Older Road User Goals or Objectives Included in State Highway Safety Plans Iowa Provide funding support for pavement marking visibility and signage studies. Address older road users as part of safe communities and overall enforcement/education efforts.
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