Ensuring Safe Mobility for America's Seniors

摘要

The Eisenhower Interstate System, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2006, has brought about dramatic changes in the lives of all Americans. Yet in the coming years, the Nation's transportation system is likely to undergo further significant changes in order to accommodate the growing number of older Americans. By 2030, the number of Americans 65 years or older is projected to double to about 70 million, or one in five Americans. The ranks of our most senior citizens, those 85 years and older, are expected to quadruple in the next 50 years. The aging of the U.S. population has important implications for the Nation's transportation system. Although recent efforts to improve safety and mobility for seniors are certainly beginning to show results, much more must be done to address the consequences of this significant demographic shift.