The driving environment has changed dramatically since most older adults
became drivers. Roadways today are much more congested and complex than they
were when they learned to drive. Roadway improvements can make the task of
negotiating today's roads and highways not only easier, but safer for everyone.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) State Traffic Engineering and
Operations Office handles issues related to aging drivers, traffic studies,
intersection operations, signing, pavement marking, signals and traffic
engineering standards for the State Highway System. If you have traffic related
concerns on a state maintained road, you can locate a District Traffic Operations Engineer for your county
by accessing this link:
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/TrafficOperations/Contacts-District.shtm
The Florida Department of Transportation began implementing roadway improvements in 1991 through routine maintenance activities responding to revised design standards based on the
Federal Highway Administration's
Highway Design Handbook for Older Drivers and Pedestrians that can be
accessed at this link:
http://www.tfhrc.gov/humanfac/01103/coverfront.htm
Providing advanced notification reduces last-minute maneuvers. These roadway improvements were installed on
our State Highway System and are now part of the state's standards.
These improvements fall under the following areas:
Increasing visibility (6-inch wide pavement markings, lighting,
reflective pavement markers, and larger lettering on guide signs)
Improving pedestrian features (refuge islands, slower walk speeds,
high-emphasis crosswalks)
Other improvements that can help improve safety are roundabouts which are
circular intersections with no traffic signal, where vehicles flow around a
center island. Sometimes called the safest form of traffic control in the world,
roundabouts are also some of the most attractive features in modern roadway
design. While roundabouts help eliminate a number of safety problems, they also
can be confusing for drivers when they are not use to them that is why the FDOT
has developed educational materials that can be accessed at the following links:
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has developed a Roundabout
Question and Answer web page and also a two-minute video on "How Roundabouts
Work" both can be accessed at this link:
http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/roundabouts.html.
By their nature intersections can be the most dangerous of roadway features.
They are the one place where all roadway users come together in a mix that has
the greatest potential for conflict.
The Advocates for Highway Safety web site includes information on the safety
dangers posed by intersections and to learn more access their website at this
link:
http://www.saferoads.org/issues/fs-intersection.htm
These signals consist of a regular pedestrian signal with standard
shapes and color, and an added display showing the number of seconds
left to safely cross the street. FDOT has developed educational
tip card for countdown pedestrian signals and it can be accessed at the
following link: http://www.safeandmobileseniors.org/pdfs/
Countdown_Ped_Signal_Tip_Card.pdf
More resources and information tailored specifically for
planners and engineers interested in designing for
safety and usability for aging drivers can be accessed
on the
Engineer and Planner Resources page.
All-electronic tolling is now operational on Florida's Turnpike from
U.S. 1 (Milepost 0) in Florida City to the Miami-Dade/Broward County
line (Milepost 47). To learn more information and view a map, you can
access this link:
FL_Turnpike_All_Electronic_Toll_Brochure
511 is a free service of the FDOT that offers travel
information along with personalized profiles you can
choose. The following types of information is provided
for travelers throughout the State of Florida and is
constantly updated for:
The Road Rangers Service Patrol has become one of the
most effective elements of the incident management
program created by the FDOT. It is their mission to
provide free highway assistance services during
incidents to reduce delay and improve safety for the
motoring public and responders. The Road Ranger Service
Patrol consists of roaming vehicles, which patrol
congested areas and high incident locations along urban
freeways and have equipment to assist drivers (such as
booster cables, jacks, sand, fire extinguishers, first
aid kits, reflective cones, etc.). Stranded motorists just need to dial *FHP (*347) to access the
Road Ranger Dispatch. Benefits of the program include:
Reduction of crashes
Reduction of incident duration by assisting the
Florida Highway Patrol
Other improvements that can help improve safety are roundabouts which are
circular intersections with no traffic signal, where vehicles flow around a
center island. Sometimes called the safest form of traffic control in the world,
roundabouts are also some of the most attractive features in modern roadway
design. While roundabouts help eliminate a number of safety problems, they also
can be confusing for drivers when they are not use to them that is why the FDOT
has developed educational materials that can be accessed at the following links: 
Liberty Mutual has an article in their magazine on Roundabouts
and it can be accessed at this link:
