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.

APWA Show a Success

James Weatherall and Johanna Van Der Veen just got back from Anaheim, CA, where they exhibited our radar signs and rubber traffic calming solutions at the APWA (American Public Works Association) Best Show in Public Works. The APWA show boasts the largest display of public works equipment in North America. With more than 400 booths on the exhibit floor, the show displayed a vast array of public works products and technology.

James and Johanna had a great time meeting lots of interesting public works professionals, some of whom were hearing of Traffic Logix for the first time, but many of whom are already customers and/or receive our monthly newsletter, The Traffic Calmer. It was great to meet customers face to face and to hear feedback on how much people enjoy our newsletter.

While all our products got their fair share of attention at the show, there was a lot of excitement over the  SafePace 100 speed sign. The economical radar speed sign offers exceptional visibility and power efficiency in a lightweight portable solution.The speed sign can be mounted on a universal mounting bracket that lets you move it between locations quickly and easily. Optional battery power allows the sign to function for up to four weeks autonomously.

It was great to see so many people stop by to tell us how much they admire the Traffic Logix products and how our mission to make roads safer one solution at a time inspires them.

Thanks to all the attendees for making it such a great show and we look forward to exhibiting at APWA 2013!