Travel-related behaviors, opinions, and concerns of U.S. adult drivers by race/ethnicity, 2010

Bhat, Geeta; Naumann, Rebecca B. · 2013 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2013.09.001

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Summary

This study addresses the limited understanding of travel-related behaviors, opinions, and concerns among U.S. adult drivers, specifically examining variations by race and ethnicity. Motivated by the projected demographic shifts toward an older and more racially diverse population, the research aims to provide recent estimates of how different groups perceive their current transportation options and their future needs if they can no longer drive. The authors analyzed data from the 2010 HealthStyles survey, a national mail-panel survey of adults aged 18 and older. The analysis was restricted to respondents who reported driving in the previous 30 days, resulting in a weighted sample representative of the U.S. population. Researchers calculated weighted percentages for travel behaviors, opinions on the adequacy of local alternatives to driving, and concerns about future transportation safety and availability. Logistic regression models were employed to examine associations between race/ethnicity and specific concerns, adjusting for age, sex, income, and population density. Significant interactions between race/ethnicity and both income and population density were identified and analyzed in separate models. The results revealed significant disparities in travel behaviors and perceptions. Hispanics were more likely than whites to report leaving home once or less per week (19.3% vs. 10.5%) and to use walking as a weekly travel mode (45.1% vs. 30.9%). Regarding opinions, a higher percentage of Hispanics (34.7%) and Blacks (33.1%) agreed that adequate alternatives to driving existed in their communities compared to whites (23.4%). However, minority groups expressed significantly greater concern about having safe, alternative transportation if they could no longer drive. After adjusting for covariates, Blacks and Hispanics were more likely than whites to report being very or extremely concerned. This concern was particularly pronounced in non-metropolitan areas and among higher-income minority groups, whereas concern was consistently high across all racial groups for those earning less than $25,000 annually. Additionally, while most drivers planned to rely on family or partners for future transportation, over 10% of drivers in every racial/ethnic group reported not knowing how they would get around if they stopped driving. The study concludes that important variations exist in travel behaviors and future transportation concerns by race and ethnicity. Minority populations often perceive current alternatives as adequate yet remain highly concerned about their sustainability in the future, potentially due to anticipated physical limitations or safety issues. The findings highlight the influence of income and population density on these concerns and underscore the need for further research to understand the underlying reasons for these disparities. Ultimately, the authors argue that these insights are critical for developing strategies to meet the transportation needs of a changing U.S. population, particularly regarding planning for driving cessation.

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• demographic disparities

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence