The Role of Driving in Maintaining Mobility in Later Life: A European View

Abstract

Elderly people whose physical strength and sensory abilities are waning are often in particular need of a car in order to deal with daily demands and to join in social or cultural activities. However, the number of pensioner households that own a car varies greatly according to region, age, gender and size of the household. This article first describes the access of older people to private cars and the predominant modes of transport used by them in urban and rural areas of six European regions in five countries. In the second part, the authors analyse the importance of driving compared to the other travel modes, and doing so, the distinction between: (a) people who own and drive a car themselves, (b) people who use a car as passengers only, and (c) people who do not have a car available in their households. Finally, the satisfaction of these groups with their possibilities to get where they want to go, as well as the variance in mobility satisfaction, is explored by means of descriptive and explanatory analyses. The paper concludes by reflecting on the major challenges arising from the present findings in terms of future urban and traffic planning.