TRANSPORT

Key points

Introduction

Mobility is an important factor in enabling older people to remain healthy and active. Adequate and appropriate transport is needed for older people to access services and facilities, take an active part in community activities and keep contact with friends and family. The loss of a driver's licence can have a major impact on an older person's independence and can lead to feelings of loss of self-worth.

The publication of "The Older Road User" by the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) in 1994 and recent policy work on transport disadvantage by the Ministry of Transport have given the transport needs of older people a higher profile. The Advisory Council for Senior Citizens has taken a specific interest in this area and has prepared submissions to the LTSA on relevant public discussion documents. Public Transport Use of public transport increases with age and is greater among older women than older men. Lack of public transport or a reduction in services can increase the isolation of older people. This has been confirmed during consultations which the Senior Citizens Unit has held in rural areas, where older people have mentioned that lack of rural public transport means difficulties in getting to medical appointments, banks and Income Support offices. In city areas, suggestions from older people have included that bus routes be more user friendly and that smaller, more frequent bus services be considered.

In response to public demand, many local bus companies are considering better ways of meeting the needs of passengers who have difficulties with mobility. The technology of buses has improved in recent years and options now include ultra low floor buses which eliminate the need for passengers to climb several high steps when entering or exiting; and "kneeling" buses in which the floor can be lowered to the level of the kerb. For older people, these types of buses will help make public transport more accessible.

Accessible public transport is essential to assist older people to remain active and to enable them to travel to services and facilities. For this reason, it is important that those planning public transport systems consult with older people, as well as other client groups, about their requirements and preferences as part of the planning process. In addition, maintaining regular contact with users will enable planners to keep track of changing needs.

Older Drivers

At 1 April 1996 , approximately 140,000 people over the age of 70, or 54% of this age group, held a driver's licence. The proportion of the older population holding a driver's licence is gradually increasing. This, in conjunction with the ageing population, means that over the next decades there will be a substantial increase in the number of older drivers.

Reported road accident rates for older people on a population basis are similar to those in the middle age ranges. On the other hand, older people drive shorter distances than other age groups and the accident rate per kilometre driven is higher than the rest of the population. This higher accident rate could be due to the fact that an accident involving an older driver is more likely to result in injury and therefore the accident is more likely to be reported. In general, older drivers follow safe driving practices more often than younger drivers. They are more likely to wear seat belts and less likely to drink and drive.

Over the last 15 years there has been a gradual relaxation of the testing requirements for drivers over 70 years of age, with no significant change in the accident injury rates. At present, 30,000 people over the age of 70 reapply for a driver's licence each year with a pass rate of 98%.

Driver licensing provisions

Sections 37 and 38 of the Transport (Driver's Licensing) Regulations 1987 contain the following provisions requiring people aged 71 and over to regularly renew their driver's licence.

• During the month of their 71st birthday, drivers are required to present a medical certificate, including an eyesight test, in order to renew their driver's licences. The licence issued is valid for five years.
• On reaching age 76, drivers are required to renew their licences again. This involves both a medical certificate and a short practical driving test.
• After age 76, drivers must renew their licences each year. An annual medical certificate is required and they must sit a practical test every second year.

The cost of licence renewal is $17.50 if a practical test is required and $9 when only a medical certificate is needed.

The Land Transport Safety Authority is currently reviewing the driver licensing provisions, including those related to older drivers. It has issued discussion papers on the topic and sought public comment on whether these provisions should be changed. The main issues for discussion are that:

• the current relicensing provisions do not identify drivers under 71 years of age who have a disability or illness that renders their driving unsafe;
• safe and competent drivers aged over 70 years are penalised by being required to undergo additional, and what can be costly, driving and medical tests;
• compulsory testing does have the benefit of prompting a decision from people aged over 70 as to whether they continue to drive. It is likely that some older drivers voluntarily cease driving as they approach the time for re-testing either by their own decisions or as a result of persuasion from families, doctors and licensing authorities; and
• the provisions of the Human Rights Act 1993 which prohibit discrimination on the basis of age will apply to government agencies from the end of 1999. This means that if age is to be used as the criteria for relicensing, a sound case will need to be made for an exemption from these provisions in the Act.

The other regulation of specific interest to older drivers concerns driver competency and is contained in section 45A of the Transport Act 1962. Under this section, medical practitioners and optometrists must advise the Land Transport Safety Authority if they believe that a person whom they consider is unfit to drive will continue to drive against their advice. This advice can lead to revocation of a client's driving licence. It appears that this regime is not applied universally or consistently by medical practitioners and optometrists, and so the effectiveness of this strategy is limited.

The Land Transport Safety Authority anticipates that by the end of 1996, its review of relicensing provisions for older drivers will be completed and a proposed option will be available for public discussion.

"Safe with Age" driver education programme

The Land Transport Safety Authority has developed an education programme for older road users, entitled "Safe with Age". The programme discusses how ageing changes can affect driving skills, updates driving knowledge and introduces defensive driving concepts. Older people are trained as facilitators and use activities, discussions and a video to present the programme to their peers. Although the programme has proved very popular and appears to be effective, the actual number of older people who have attended the course is low.

Transport Needs of Kaumatua and Kuia

A further issue that has been raised at a number of consultations held by the Senior Citizens Unit is the transport needs of kaumatua and kuia. The responsibilities and obligations of kaumatua and kuia require them to travel to hui and tangi. In the past, a number of kaumatua groups and marae committees have received funding from the Lottery Grants Board Committees, including Lottery Aged, to buy vans. A decision in 1993 to no longer fund the purchase of vehicles has removed this avenue of funding assistance. The Senior Citizens Unit has raised this concern with Lottery Aged and the Minister of Internal Affairs on a number of occasions. There has, however, been no change to this policy.

Transport Assistance

Financial assistance for transport and concessions for older people or people with disabilities are provided by a range of agencies. Some transport providers such as airlines and bus companies provide concession tickets or reduced fares for superannuitants. An older person with a disability may be eligible to receive a Disability Allowance from Income Support to assist with some transport costs.

Total Mobility Scheme

The Total Mobility Scheme is available to people who, because of a disability, have difficulty using buses. The scheme provides clients with vouchers that they can use to claim a half-price discount on taxi fares. It also provides funding for wheelchair hoist vehicles. Total Mobility was initially set up by the Disabled Persons Assembly but is now administered by regional councils. Applicants are referred for assessment to an agency which supports people with disabilities and if approved, applicants are provided with the discount taxi vouchers they require.

Operation Mobility

To assist drivers or passengers with limited mobility, New Zealand CCS operates Operation Mobility, a parking concession scheme for people with physical disabilities. Obtaining a Mobility Card requires verification by a medical practitioner that the applicant has a relevant physical disability or medical condition; and payment of a $28.50 administration fee. People with a temporary disability resulting from an accident or illness are entitled to a temporary card.

Local concession tickets

In Palmerston North and Wanganui, the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council provides concession tickets for people it defines as transport disadvantaged. In these two centres the provision of urban bus services has been contracted to local taxi companies. Large city buses have been replaced by minibuses which are also used by the companies to provide taxi services. Other regional councils are investigating similar schemes. Comments from Wanganui indicate that many older people have found it difficult to get in and out of the minibuses because of the high step up into the vehicles.

Volunteer transport schemes

In many centres, community organisations such as Age Concern councils and the Country Women's Institute run volunteer transport schemes. Volunteers involved in these schemes drive older people who require transport to doctors' and other appointments or to local activities or groups for older people. Many of the volunteers are older people.

Older Pedestrians

Walking is an important means of personal transport for older people. Older people are over-represented in pedestrian accident figures. In 1991, 20% of all pedestrians hospitalised following an accident with a motor vehicle and 34% of all pedestrians who died were aged 60 years or more. The high ratio of deaths to injuries reflects the increased fragility of older people who are much more likely to be seriously injured or killed if they are hit by a vehicle, than a younger person in the same circumstances.

Apart from injury caused by vehicles, hazards for older pedestrians include:

• uneven or broken footpaths;
• children riding bicycles or skateboards on footpaths;
• poor street lighting; and
• traffic signals at crossings often provide insufficient time for older people to cross an intersection safely.

In designing shopping centre parking areas, the needs of pedestrians are frequently forgotten. Reaching shops often requires walking around parking vehicles, crossing busy main roads and navigating obstacles such as speed humps and low walls.

Good design and maintenance can eliminate many of the dangers for pedestrians. Provision of more public seats at bus stops, in parks and on the roadside would provide more places where older pedestrians could rest. Some of the requirements of older pedestrians may conflict with the interests of other road users. For instance, longer pedestrian signal crossing times create longer delays at red lights for motorists.

National Land Transport Strategy

At present the Ministry of Transport is developing a National Land Transport Strategy. The purpose of this strategy is to develop long term land transport goals and policy objectives, and measurable targets for achieving these objectives. It will cover safety, transport disadvantage, economic sustainability and environmental factors. Consultation on the strategy began in July 1996 and the Ministry of Transport plans to release a draft for public discussion by 30 September 1997, with the final strategy being launched in May 1988.

Future Directions

There is considerable policy work relevant to older people being undertaken in the transport area. The Land Transport Safety Authority has sought public comment on licensing provisions for older drivers and it is expected that it will decide to further relax these. The provisions of the Human Rights Act 1993 may have an impact on age restrictions for licences. In addition, the Ministry of Transport is working on a National Land Transport Strategy which it plans to complete by July 1997.

The Senior Citizens Unit liaises regularly with the Land Transport Safety Authority and Ministry of Transport and will have opportunities to comment on the development of relevant transport policies and rules. It is anticipated that the Advisory Council for Senior Citizens will continue its interest in this policy area and provide submissions.

Concerns regarding creating a safe environment for pedestrians are being acknowledged by many planners and providers. More positive attitudes about ageing are likely to create greater awareness of this issue. The Prime Ministerial Task Force on Positive Ageing has identified transport as one of the areas on which it will be providing recommendations to Government. This will reinforce the need for local authorities to plan responsive strategies, policies and services for older people in their communities.

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