Understanding Current and Future Transport Needs of Older Australian Drivers to Guide Development of Sustainable and Smart Initiatives to Support Safe Mobility of Older Adults

Jennifer Oxley, David B. Logan, Selby Coxon and Sjaan Koppel
Additional contact information
Jennifer Oxley: Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
David B. Logan: Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
Selby Coxon: Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, Monash University, Caulfield, VIC 3145, Australia
Sjaan Koppel: Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: Access to adequate and appropriate transport options enables older people to continue as thriving community participants, to reach services and to maintain social connections. While transport needs are diverse, and tend to change over time, there is little information on current and future transport patterns, and the awareness, acceptance and adoption of new technologies. A national online survey was administered to current drivers in Australia. A sample of 705 drivers provided information on available travel modes and use of these modes, awareness of in-vehicle technologies and future use of vehicle technologies. The findings revealed high use of private vehicles, walking and taxis but little use of other travel modes (bicycles, motorcycles, rideshare, community services and public transport). Age, gender and residential location influenced the availability and use/potential use of some transport options. Overall awareness of in-vehicle technologies was generally low and particularly so amongst older and female participants. There was some appetite to use emerging technologies in the future. The findings inform the development of effective strategies and initiatives aligned with healthy ageing and wellbeing targets, increased sustainability, resilience and connectedness, creation of healthier travel choices and healthier environments to promote acceptance and use of a range of transport options and uptake of safer vehicles equipped with in-vehicle technologies to ultimately enhance safe and sustainable mobility of older road users.

Keywords: older road users; mobility; safety; travel patterns; vehicle technologies; countermeasures (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/10/5906/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/10/5906/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:10:p:5906-:d:814678

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().