The use of mobility scooters by the elderly - a feasibility study in Israel

Studies worldwide indicate that an active lifestyle, including mobility, is essential for the quality of life of the elderly. Given the decline in elderly people's ability to serve as vehicle drivers and their physical limitations for long walks or cycling, the possibilities of using alternative transport means, e.g. mobility scooters (MS), are considered. This study aimed at exploring the feasibility of wider use of the MS by the elderly in Israel and its possible implications regarding road safety. The study included a review of knowledge worldwide on MS use by the elderly, an opinion survey of the elderly population and field observations of MS riders in urban areas. The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews, where the questionnaire included background characteristics, health status and travel habits of the elderly, and their attitudes towards MS. The field observations were conducted by video-recording. The study found that MS are known to most elderly people in Israel, where the majority of respondents agreed that MS can improve their mobility and quality of life. However, they expressed a relatively low willingness to use MS, mostly, due to the preference for private cars but also the lack of appropriate infrastructure for MS travel in the city. Among elderly characteristics increasing the potential for MS use were: ages 70-84; people with health problems but maintaining an active lifestyle; living independently and appreciating MS benefits. The observations showed that MS users are careful in choosing travel routes, with an intuitive preference for slow traffic conditions that probably contributes to preventing accidents. Admitting an upward trend in the MS use for daily activities, appropriate infrastructure solutions for their travel are required. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.