Travel Better, Travel Longer: A Pocket Guide to Improve Traffic Control and Mobility for Our Older Population

NHTSA · 2003 · ROSA P / United States. Federal Highway Administration

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Summary

**Travel Better, Travel Longer: A Pocket Guide to Improve Traffic Control and Mobility for Our Older Population** addresses the growing safety challenges faced by the United States’ aging demographic. Motivated by Census Bureau projections indicating a 50 percent increase in the population over age 65 between 2002 and 2020, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) developed this guide to assist transportation professionals in adapting traffic control devices to the physiological and cognitive limitations of older drivers. As individuals age, they experience declining vision, reduced physical flexibility, decreased ability to focus attention, and increased reaction times. These factors compromise driving safety, particularly at intersections, curves, and temporary traffic control zones. The guide aims to provide specific, evidence-based recommendations for deploying signs, signals, and pavement markings that accommodate these limitations, thereby maintaining mobility and independence for seniors while enhancing safety for all road users. The document is structured as a practical reference rather than a primary research study, synthesizing recommendations from the *Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices* (MUTCD) and the *Highway Design Handbook for Older Drivers and Pedestrians*. It is divided into three chapters focusing on specific high-risk environments: Intersections and Interchanges, Curves, and Temporary Traffic Control Zones. Each chapter presents "design elements" that identify specific problems older drivers face and prescribe corresponding applications of traffic control devices. For instance, the guide details specific sign sizes, letter heights, and placement strategies to improve legibility and reaction time. It references both the 2000 and 2003 editions of the MUTCD, highlighting where the guide’s recommendations are more prescriptive than standard regulations. Key findings and recommendations include specific interventions for intersections, where 37 percent of traffic fatalities for drivers over 65 occur. The guide advocates for larger sign sizes for offset left-turn lanes, overhead street name signs with minimum letter heights of 300 mm, and redundant advance street name signs to aid drivers with slowed reaction times. It recommends "Left Turn Yield on Green" signs, educational plaques for pedestrians, and leading pedestrian intervals of at least three seconds to accommodate slower walking speeds. For curves, which present higher crash rates, the guide suggests retroreflective raised pavement markers on tight curves and advance warning signs for signals obscured by curvature. In temporary traffic control zones, it emphasizes the use of flashing arrow panels, high-conspicuity signs with fluorescent orange sheeting, and simplified Portable Changeable Message Signs (PCMS) with limited text and minimum three-second display phases to reduce cognitive load. The significance of this guide lies in its translation of human factors research into actionable engineering standards. By explicitly linking age-related physical and cognitive declines to specific traffic control solutions, the FHWA provides a framework for designing inclusive transportation infrastructure. The guide asserts that while the recommendations target older populations, the enhanced conspicuity, redundancy, and clarity of traffic control devices benefit all roadway users. It serves as a critical resource for engineers, contractors, and policymakers to implement safety measures that support an aging society, ensuring that roadway design evolves to meet the changing needs of the driving population.

Key finding

The document provides engineering recommendations for traffic control devices rather than reporting empirical research results.

Methodology

other

Provenance

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Topics

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• signage environment
• sign visibility legibility
• perceptual countermeasures
• rail grade crossings