Implications of driving cessation amongst Canada’s older adults living in rural and small urban communities

While policy makers have long recognized the impact of an aging population on Canada’s health care and national pension plans, the automobility of older adults has received less attention. Driving cessation, often due to poor or declining health or eyesight, is particularly troublesome, potentially leading to social isolation. For policy makers to respond effectively to transportation-related impacts of an aging population, they must understand the changing travel behaviours as cessation is approached and completed. This research aims to better understand the automobility behaviours of Canada’s aging population and how it changes according to their specific needs, and relative location as they age through retirement and approach and complete driving cessation. Using mixed methods, the work will focus on older adults in rural and small urban areas.