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PostPosted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 02:36 
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Government Consultation on Compliance PACTS Road Safety Consultation here(After the Consultation on 13th Oct 11 - here
PACTS wrote:
PACTS report 'It's My Choice: Safer mobility for an ageing population' published
Document: PACTS - Its my choiceFINAL2.pdf
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) has today published a major report looking at safe mobility for an ageing population. The report, entitled “It’s My Choice” and available on line from http://www.pacts.org.uk, looks at all aspects of public and private transport, arguing that we need to promote greater and safer mobility for an ageing society in order to ensure the benefits that independent mobility can bring to quality of life.

The title ‘It’s my choice’ reflects the main theme of the report: helping older people to help themselves, so that they can make better, safer, well-informed choices. The conclusions and policy recommendations reached in the report do not seek to restrict or impose strict regulation, but rather to encourage and support older people. In the safe systems approach the aim is to design a system where inevitable errors of judgement do not result in death or serious injury. Responsibility for keeping users safe even when they make mistakes is shared amongst the designers, builders and providers of the system. Therefore, in order for older people to be safer, the public realm, infrastructure for motoring and public transport, and vehicles should all be designed to pose as low a risk as reasonably practicable on older users. Older people themselves should also be supported and encouraged to keep themselves as safe as possible, by raising awareness and providing clear, evidence-based information.

Commenting on the report, Robert Gifford, Executive Director of PACTS, said “Over the next decade the balance of the population in this country will change. Older people need to be kept mobile and safe. I hope that this report will generate a national discussion about the state of our pavements and the relevance of self-regulation when it comes to giving up your driving licence. We need to move beyond seeing older people as a problem to viewing them as contributing to a mixed society.”



Press Association here
Press Association wrote:
Call for national driving strategy
Source : Press Association - Published on 12 March 2012 12:30 PM
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) has called for a national strategy to deal with the rising number of older Britons who continue to drive.
In a new report, the Whitehall advisory body found that six in ten (60%) over-70s held a driving licence in 2010, compared to only around one in seven (15%) in 1975.

PACTS also said that four in five (80%) Britons aged between 60 and 69 currently hold a driving licence and are expected to continue driving for the next 20 years.
PACTS said: 'The report therefore concludes that older road users are here to stay and that a national strategy for an ageing population is vital.'

However, the report also found that older Britons are more likely to be seriously injured or die in an accident than younger people.

While the number of people killed or seriously injured on the road fell by 41% between 2000 and 2010 across all age groups, it only decreased by 37% for 60 to 69-year-old pedestrians, 40% for 70 to 79-year-olds and 33% for over-80s.

PACTS executive director Robert Gifford said: 'Over the next decade the balance of the population in this country will change. Older people need to be kept mobile and safe.
'I hope that this report will generate a national discussion about the state of our pavements and the relevance of self-regulation when it comes to giving up your driving licence. We need to move beyond seeing older people as a problem to viewing them as contributing to a mixed society.'

Michelle Mitchell, Charity Director General of Age UK commented: 'Ability and safety not age should determine if someone should be allowed to continue driving.
'For many older people, driving is a way of maintaining independence and there should be more support and information for older drivers who choose to improve their skills.'
Copyright Press Association 2012


The Telegraph here
The Telegraph - Richard Alleyne wrote:
Strategy needed to cope with explosion in number of elderly drivers
Elderly drivers caught speeding or breaking other traffic laws should be sent on special training courses to make sure they are still safe behind the wheel, a new report claims.
By Richard Alleyne - 8:00PM GMT 11 Mar 2012

The recommendation comes as new figures show that as many as six million over 70s are now on our roads, compared with less than a million 35 years ago.

The huge explosion of car driving pensioners means that a national strategy is needed to make sure that they are not a danger to themselves or others, it is claimed.
It also raises the controversial spectre of mandatory retesting to make sure that their age and health is not impairing their ability to control a car.
The report called It's My Choice by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (Pacts) said that while only 15 per cent of over-70s held a driving licence in 1975, the figure for 2010 was nearly 60 per cent.
While figures show that the elderly are safer than younger drivers, the reductions in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads in recent years have fallen far more slowly among older drivers. Should the government institute new measures to deal with the increase in elderly drivers?

The fact that the second baby boomer generation – from the 1960s – is soon to swell their ranks means that the government needs to look at the effect it will have on the roads.
Around 80 per cent of current 60-69 year olds hold licences and will continue to drive for around the next 20 years.
More than 80 per cent of 30-39 year olds are licence holders and will drive until at least 2050.
"The report therefore concludes that older road users are here to stay and that a national strategy for an ageing population is vital," said Pacts executive director Robert Gifford.
"We have national speed awareness courses for people who are caught speeding and may be we should have a similar course for older drivers".

The report also pointed out that pedestrian deaths and serious injuries among all ages had fallen by 41 per cent between 2000 and 2010, but it was lower among the elderly.
The for 60 to 69-year-old pedestrians was 37 per cent, for 70-79 year olds it was 40 per cent and for those 80 or over it was 33 per cent.
The car-occupant death and serious injury reduction for all ages between 2000 and 2010 was 54 per cent.
But the fall for 60-69 year old car occupants was only 44 per cent, with the decline for 70-79 year olds being 43 per cent and for those aged 80 or over it was only 16 per cent.
The report also drew the distinction between road users who were at risk and who posed a risk to others.
Older road users tended to be in the former group, it said.
The report added that it was therefore essential that planning decisions were "health-checked" for older people and that the medical profession was more effective in giving advice on both physical and mental fitness to drive.

Mr Gifford said: "Over the next decade the balance of the population in this country will change. Older people need to be kept mobile and safe.
"I hope that this report will generate a national discussion about the state of our pavements and the relevance of self-regulation when it comes to giving up your driving licence.
"We need to move beyond seeing older people as a problem to viewing them as contributing to a mixed society."


Brighton & Hove - here
Brighton & Hove Council wrote:
Raising awareness of road safety among older drivers
Older Drivers’ Week 19-23 March
Next week road safety experts will be in Brighton & Hove talking to people about new resources available specifically for older drivers.

On Thursday, 22 March in Jubilee Square, Brighton, from 10am to 3pm, Brighton & Hove City Council’s road safety team will be joined by Sussex Police, Age UK and the Institute of Advanced Motorists to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ of information for older drivers, relatives and friends. The aim is to help older people stay safe when driving and to highlight alternatives for travelling into and around the city.
Resources have been developed by the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) to help older motorists stay safe behind the wheel.
Recent DVLA figures show that there are now well over a million drivers aged over 80 in the UK with more than a hundred over the age of 100.
The number of drivers between 60 and 74 is projected to increase by 22 per cent by 2016 – a demographic change which will be seen across Sussex and the South East.

Councillor Ian Davey, cabinet member for transport and the public realm, said: “It is essential that people can feel safe on the roads, however they choose to travel. Older drivers are no more likely to be involved in an accident than younger people, but we recognise this age group is increasing, so we want to make sure they know how to stay safe and that there are alternatives to driving, such as regular bus services where older people benefit from free travel.”

Events are being held throughout Sussex to share information. The resources will also be available to download from 19 March.
As part of the week’s focus, older drivers are being offered the chance to go on an hour’s Experienced Driver Assessment session. These are undertaken on roads the driver is familiar with, and in their own vehicle. A qualified driving instructor can help identify not only any bad habits, but also modifications to the vehicle or driving style that will increase safety. More information on the website or by calling 01243 642989.
Related information

Find out more about road road safety
The Sussex Safer Roads Partnership consists of West Sussex and East Sussex County Councils, Brighton & Hove City Council, Sussex Police, Highways Agency, HM Courts Service – Sussex, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service and West Sussex Fire & Rescue.
Ability, knowledge and skill have to be the only (bar legal issues of course), deciding factor when contemplating the removal of one's license to ride or drive as someone ages.[/quote]

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