ROME – In which cities will the girls and boys who today find themselves in the “under 29” bracket live and who in 2060 will gradually become part of the so-called Third Age? And what will road safety be like in forty years? According to Unipolis, in a future characterized by an increase in average life, cities inhabited by almost half of the world population and urban areas where three quarters of road accidents occur, the situation will be disastrous. Especially for the “over 65” group, which will see the number of road accident victims increase by up to 99%.
An announced massacre that can be avoided by rethinking the organization of spaces in urban centers right now, making them safer and more sustainable environments. According to the research “Let’s change roads, let’s change the future” presented by the business foundation of the Unipol Group, if the current data on road deaths are projected up to the next forty years and compared with the demographic trends, a scenario emerges in which the deaths in accidents over the age of 65 will increase by 50%, with particularly high peaks among people aged 80 and over, which will have doubled percentages.
In 2060, the death rate from road accidents is expected to improve among young people between 15 and 29 years of age. On the contrary, the road death rate affecting the elderly in 2060 will be even higher than today and will reach 100 from 2061. In particular, the study predicts an increase of about 10% in deaths and injuries among people who are between 65 and 79 years old, and then arrive at a doubling of deaths and people with injuries among those aged 80 and over. In summary, in 2060 for the two age groups 65 -79 years and 80 years and over an increase is expected both in the absolute numbers and in the percentages of incidence on the total number of victims and injured.
If the trend described above is confirmed – specifies the study – Italy will not be able to reach the goal of halving the mortality from road accidents either in 2030 or in 2050 and, even, the projections to 2060 foresee an increase in the victims of ‘over 65’ road, a direct consequence of a greater presence of elderly people on roads and pavements. The organization of spaces in urban centers must therefore be rethought, argues Unipolis, which in particular proposes some possible solutions: reduce the use of private cars in favor of public transport; use less polluting cars; increase limited speed roads and green spaces; increase protected pedestrian and cycle paths; adopt measures to encourage car pooling, car and bike sharing; facilitate technological systems of traffic regulation.
More generally – according to the study – however, it is necessary to think of a different paradigm of development, in which urban mobility becomes synonymous with sustainable mobility. A mobility that gives new rhythm to urban communities, with a renewed quality of life, safer and more in tune with the environment.
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