U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
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Conditions and Performance Report Chapter 1Personal Mobility |
Conditions and Performance Chapter Listing Conditions and Performance Home Page Role of Race and Hispanic Status
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Measuring MobilityTechnological advances, government policies, and public acceptance of safety initiatives have accomplished much over the 1969 to 1995 period. Exhibit 1-2 shows key 1995 demographic, travel, safety and air quality indicators indexed to 1969. There were substantial increases in personal travel over this time, yet there were significant decreases in highway fatalities and the most crucial emissions indicators.
Mobility appears to decrease sharply with retirement. In 1995, annual average vehicle miles for drivers of all ages was 13,476, while for drivers 65 to 69 the average was 9,054. This trend is reflected in the average trip length, which drops by about one quarter after 65 years of age. Most of this change represents the elimination of commute trips by retired workers. However, since 1969 the average annual miles driven by people 65 to 69 has increased by 50 percent, reflecting the aging of cohorts with a higher ratio of drivers to non-drivers. As the baby boom begins to retire around the year 2010, the total ratio of seniors to working age people on the road is likely to increase rather sharply. Is the infrastructure in place to maintain safety standards when older drivers become the rule rather than the exception? Converting these aggregate trends into specific impacts on individuals and households reflects much about our changing society. Exhibit 1-3 shows the very different levels of travel within various sub-groups, and raises the issue of the dimensions of geography and personal choice. Real-world complexities make untangling this issue difficult: for example, densely developed neighborhoods may have shopping and employment opportunities within short distances of residential areas lowering a person's daily travel miles. On the other hand, families in city neighborhoods may pay higher costs at neighborhood shops compared to suburban super-stores.
The remainder of this chapter attempts to filter through some of today's complexities relative to their influence on travel patterns.
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