Safer Roads and Aging Population

Safer Roads and Aging Population Aging Driving Population With growing life expectancy and more active older adults than ever, America’s driving population is aging. Driving patterns change for older drivers as retirement changes schedules and age related declines in vision, hearing and overall wellness can affect driving skills. While average drivers who are 65 or over are actually more likely to be safe drivers than younger counterparts, with a lifetime of driving experience behind them, some elderly drivers are at risk of increased injuries and fatalities to themselves and others when they are behind the wheel. How Safe are They? For the most recent year that data was available, NHTSA  reports that 17% of all traffic fatalities in the US involved people 65 and over. This age group accounts for 14% of the total US population. The number of licensed drivers in the US increased a whopping 27% in the past ten years. The NIH reports that elderly drivers are the least likely to be involved in crashes involving alcohol or speeding but are more likely to get into accidents at intersections and when merging, both situations in where other drivers may be going faster and have quicker reflexes.  Safer Road for All Many engineers, cyclists, pedestrians, and health professionals advocate for Complete Streets. When we think of streets that offer safe access to all users, we often think of motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. However, the elderly population, who comprise 44.7 million people in the US, need to be considered as well. Whether that means incorporating more speed control devices such as speed humps so that younger drivers don’t speed in areas frequented by slower driving seniors, having longer crossing times for seniors who may be using canes or wheelchairs, or using speed indicator signs to remind elderly drivers of their speeds and ensure they are alert, safer streets for all need to take all ages into account. Resources for Improved Safety Hearing, vision, reaction time, and physical changes affect different people at different ages. Ultimately, as the NIH points out, it’s a person’s health, and not their age, that determines their ability to continue driving safely. An elderly person is more likely to suffer from conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, dementia, stroke, or Parkinson’s disease, all of which can affect one’s ability to drive safely. The NIH website features videos of what it’s like to drive with each of these conditions to offer insight to drivers and their family members. It’s important to remember that the most fundamental component of safer roads is safe drivers.

Do you have a diet plan for your roads?

The new year has begun and people across the world have committed to healthier lifestyles. Now is the time to commit to healthier roadways too. Putting your road on a diet can do more than make you slimmer this year- it can save lives.

Wondering what a road diet is? Road diets are tools used by traffic engineers as part of a traffic calming plan to make streets safer and prevent accidents. Learn more about what a road diet is, how you can slim your roadway down, and whether a road diet is right for you.

Not ready for a road diet? Healthy streets go beyond just diet- learn techniques for safer and more complete streets in our January Traffic Calmer.

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety- Practical Approaches

Achieving Focus In this issue: Achieving Focus Retrofitting Roadways The Traffic Calming Toolbox Developing a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan     On the Streets     Did you Know?     Premiering     Traffic Logix Tidbits It may seem superfluous to say that the first step toward pedestrian and bicyclist safety is awareness. However, roadways are often created with the goal of moving vehicular traffic smoothly and efficiently, and may lack sidewalks, walkways, and adequate shoulder space. In fact, Transportation for America’s Dangerous by Design report on pedestrian fatalities found that more than half of the pedestrians killed between 2000 and 2009 died on principal or minor arterials, wide, straight roads, which are often hostile to pedestrians. It therefore bears repeating, that the first and most crucial step toward pedestrian and bicyclist safety is being aware of non-motorist needs and ensuring that they are factored into street design and engineering. On the Streets Retrofitting Roadways An advocacy group in Austin works to make East Austin more pedestrian friendly with a Walkability Assessment program. Read the full story here. It can be difficult to integrate pedestrian travel allowances on roads built primarily with cars in mind. As cities identify the importance of streets for all, new roads should be constructed with awareness of pedestrian and bicyclist needs as part of the design. However, hope is not lost for existing streets. There are many solutions that can be integrated to facilitate roadways that are friendly to motorists and non-motorists alike. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) in a study on Reducing Childhood Pedestrian Injuries identifies some of these solutions such as establishing traffic signals in hazardous areas, implementing traffic calming measures such as street narrowing or speed humps, and increasing the walk time of pedestrian signals to allow enough time for children to safely cross. Other useful ideas include reducing lanes on arterial roads while adding walkways or bike lanes, establishing pedestrian malls, and improving lighting on neighborhood streets. Premiering Fake bike lanes spray painted on Dallas streets try making a statement but are confusing drivers and may be dangerous. See video footage here. The Traffic Calming Toolbox Traffic Logix prides itself on being a one stop provider for all traffic calming needs. Several of the company’s products can help create safer, smarter streets for bicyclists and pedestrians. The 2-sided Did you Know? CycleLane curbing offers a valuable tool for traffic engineers looking to create more complete streets. The innovative curbing solution has a low profile side, which guides bicyclists back into bike lanes while the high profile side prevents vehicle traffic from entering non-vehicle lanes. The curbing units can be used along with safe-hit posts and/or painted buffer areas to further increase visibility for motorists. They can be useful on roadways as well as in parks, along trails, and anywhere that bicyclists ride. See a map showing the fatalities from 2000 to 2009 within 60 miles of where you live. View the interactive map here. The SuperFlex curbing units can also be a useful tool in designing street narrowing or other curb-focused solutions to make existing roadways safer. Vehicle-focused solutions such as speed humps, speed cushions (shown to the right), and radar feedback signs slow traffic down so that drivers are more aware of their surroundings and more likely to take notice of non-motorists. These devices also ensure that a driver has enough time to stop to avoid hitting a pedestrian. Developing a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Cities across the country that were identified as having the highest risk of pedestrian fatalities were chosen as focus cities in a FHWA program working to reduce pedestrian deaths. States with focus cities were included as focus states. Services offered include free technical assistance, webinars, training, and assistance in developing a Pedestrian Safety Plan. Non-focus cities and states can receive these services for a cost. The guide to developing a plan is a valuable resource for improved safety and is available on the FHWA website. An article on the progress made so far by focus cities was published by Public Works magazine and is available online here.  The program has so far shown promising results. Traffic Logix Tidbits Traffic Logix rubber speed cushions provide the perfect balance for Anaheim, CA. Read the full story here.

Traffic Logix Speed Table Protects Pedestrians, Bicyclists, and Construction Workers outside Metro Station

The outside of the Laurier metro station in Montreal has a lot going on. A busy bicycle lane crosses directly in front of the station while scores of pedestrians flock in and out of the metro. Amid the bicycles and walkers, a temporary construction zone has been erected directly in front of the station. 

The city of Montreal installed a Traffic Logix speed table to slow bicyclists down in front of the metro so that pedestrians can safely cross the path to walk in and out of the metro. The speed table has a flat top to slow bicyclists gradually without being too abrupt or compromising their safety. Measuring 14’ x 10.5’, the speed table has bright yellow taping to alert bicyclists in advance and ensure that the tables are visible even in poor lighting conditions and at night.

The Traffic Logix interlocking units can be expanded to any length or width and were used to create a speed table that fit the dimensions of the bike lane. These units are also used to create speed humps and speed cushions. Of the three solutions, speed tables are the least abrupt, which make them the safest solution for cyclists and pedestrians.

To see video footage of the Traffic Logix speed table at the Laurier metro station click here.