Florida Elder Roadway User Program

 Florida’s Elder Roadway User Program worked in conjunction with the DriveAble Assessment Centres to distinguish the safe from the unsafe driver 

Background

Program Goals:

To maintain safe driving conditions by focusing on roadway designs and  improvements to compensate for the natural effects of aging associated with driving

Intent:

Unintentional injuries

Risk Factors Addressed:

Visual acuity and time for decision making and reaction in aging adults

Place of occurrence:

Community

Age/Age Range:

Seniors 65+

Other Population Characteristics:

Slower response time; less agility; deteriorating vision and hearing

Resources

Year Developed:

1992

Collaborative Organization(s):

Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) Traffic Operations Office; Traffic Engineering Office, Florida State Maintenance Office, University of Miami 

Funding Resource(s):

Implementation supported by the Florida Department of Transportation and the State Maintenance Office

Costs:

The Traffic Engineering Office did not request additional funding for this project but improvement were part of internal maintenance. Long-term improvements would be implemented over an extended schedule

Implementation

Context/Setting:

Community

Strategies Used:

Education; Engineering; Economic

Activities Used:

Training course for DOT design personnel; short-term improvements: reflective pavement markers; wider pavement markings; advance street name signs; improved pedestrian features at intersections; increased emphasis on effective traffic control through work zones; long-term improvements: new lettering on standard signs; advance notice for stop signs and lane assignment signs at freeway entrance ramps; enhanced pavement markings for increased visibility; improved intersection design elements

Program Evaluation:

Two-phase effectiveness study from 1998-2001 (UMiami) - sample of licensed drivers aged 42-91; use of questionnaire at beginning of study; 1) field test existing roadway improvements; 2) determine the efficiency of two-types of enhanced traffic control devices

Source of Best Practice:

Road-related Neurotrauma and Road Safety: Opportunities and Challenges for Prevention Science.
Richard Volpe, John Lewko, & the LSAP Research Group, 2006 

Original Source:

Peden, M., Scurfield, R., Sleet, D., Mohan, D., Hyder, A., Jarawan, E., Mathers, C. (2004). World Report on road traffic injury prevention. Retrieved June 5, 2004 from http://www.who.int/world-healthday/2004/infomaterials/world_report/en/ 

Supplementary Material:

http://www.dot.state.fl.us/trafficoperations/Operations/ElderRdUser.htm 

Local Example(s):

N/A

Contact Information: 

Mark C. Wilson, PE
Deputy State Traffic Operations Engineer
Florida Department of Transportation
605 Suwannee Street, MS 36
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450
Mark.Wilson@dot.state.fl.us
Tel: 850-414-4870

Outcomes

Long-term outcomes/Effectiveness:

Long-term improvements of larger lettering and using a new font for signs gave greater distance legibility

Short-term outcomes:

Short-tern roadway advancements provided increased decision-making and reaction time

Other Benefits:

Improvements will benefit all drivers, regardless of age

Other

Date of Review:

2005

Classification:

Best Practice