[Traffic-related mobility in the elderly]

In connection with successful aging and high life quality of elderly people improvement of traffic-related mobility is an important aim of gerontological efforts. On the other hand, the speed, variability, and complexity of modern traffic situations in large towns often lead to great feelings of stress and anxiety among elderly people. Many older pedestrians and motor vehicle drivers therefore prefer to reduce their own active traffic participation. Beyond that the traffic accident rate is increased for elderly pedestrians and drivers above 60 years of age. Increased risks appear especially in connection with specific behavior tendencies and with special traffic situations. Risky behavior of elderly people is often caused or influenced by physiological or by sensomotor handicaps. But many of these handicaps can be avoided or retarded by compensation dynamics or by specific training. Another important aim is to influence the traffic-related behavior and the attitudes of elderly traffic participants as well as the communication dynamics between different groups of traffic participants. Some effective ways of influencing and correcting wrong behavior tendencies of elderly people are discussed.