Most older pedestrians are unable to cross the road in time: a cross-sectional study

Design: cross-sectional study using Health Survey for England 2005 data. Setting: private households in England. Participants: random population sample of 3,145 adults (1,444 men) aged >= 65 years. Main outcome measures: walking speed was assessed by timing a walk of 8 feet at normal pace. Walking impairment was defined as walking speed < 1.2 m/s or non-participation in the test due to being unsafe or unable. Results: the mean walking speed was 0.9 m/s in men and 0.8 m/s in women; 84% of men and 93% of women >= 65 years had walking impairment. Female gender, increasing age, lower socio-economic status, poorer health and lower grip strength were predictors of walking impairment. Conclusion: most older adults either cannot walk 8 feet safely or cannot walk fast enough to use a pedestrian crossing in the UK. The health impacts on older adults include limited independence and reduced opportunities for physical activity and social interaction. An assumed normal walking speed for pedestrian crossings of 1.2 m/s is inappropriate for older adults and revision of these timings should be considered.