Florida's Safe Mobility for Life Coalition Hosts Pasco County Community Summit

Karen Smith (850)245-1519
karen.smith2@dot.state.fl.us

Tallahassee – The Safe Mobility for Life Coalition will host a summit in New Port Richey, FL to focus on improving the safety, access, and mobility of aging road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders in support of Older Americans Month.

The Safe Mobility for Life Coalition was created to help reduce the number of crashes while improving the safety, access, and mobility for Florida’s aging road users. The Coalition consists of representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation and Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, along with 26 national, state, and local aging and safety advocates, working together to balance both the safety and mobility needs of Florida’s aging population.

Florida is home to more than 3.2 million adults over the age of 65 and demographic projections show this age group will increase to account for almost 25 percent of Florida’s total population by 2030. By establishing a broad statewide Aging Road User Strategic Safety Plan, the Coalition is working to reduce traffic crashes involving older adults by improving their transportation safety and mobility environment.

This inaugural summit has two goals:

1. For the Coalition to share specific statewide transportation safety and mobility resources available to our local partners to benefit aging road users in Pasco County.
2. To learn more about the specific transportation safety and mobility challenges and/or issues facing Pasco County.

The knowledge gained and partnerships formed from the Summit will help the Coalition continue to develop new resources and implement our strategic safety plan.

The event will be held Tuesday, May 14, 2013 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. at the West Pasco Government Center, Board Room, 7530 Little Road, New Port Richey, Fl 34654. More information on the Safe Mobility for Life Coalition and Florida’s Aging Road User Strategic Safety Plan is available at: SafeandMobileSeniors.org