Improved transportation for the elderly (II). The desire for and effects of continuing driving among car manufacturing retirees living in Kanagawa Prefecture

Abstract

In order to improve the adequacy and safety of the transportation for the elderly people, the effects of and the desire for continuing driving were analyzed. A questionnaire was sent to 500 car manufacturing retirees, male aged 60 years old and more, living in Kawagawa prefecture near Tokyo. Responses were obtained from 296 people (59.6%). Of these 196 were currently licensed and 149 still drove. Three quarters of the respondents drove for daily shopping and more than 50% drove for medical treatment, visiting friends and other purposes. The purposes for driving correlated with each other (p < 0.05; psi test) and 80% drove more than 3 days per week. One motivating factor for driving was to pick up family members or friends (48%) in addition to daily transportation means (93%), while 61% desired to continuing driving while making full use of the safety devices of the cars. Correspondence analysis showed that the role of driving correlated with a desire to utilize automobile safety devices. It is concluded that we should consider the needs of driving for the elderly, their satisfaction in driving or being driven by them, and should plan medical assessment, improvement in the traffic environment and social support, for example, arranging contacts between elderly driver and elderly with limited transportation options.