Analysis of Factors Affecting the Safety of Urban Spaces for Elderly Pedestrians in the City of Ahvaz

Sadegh Allahyari ¹ ( Assistant Professor of Geography, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran )
Saeid Amanpour ² ( Professor in Geography and Urban Planning, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz.Iran )
Zahra Sahraeian ³ ( Ph.D. Geography and Urban Planning , Lecturer at the Applied Science and Technology Education Center of the Shiraz Red Crescent Society )

Submited date : 2025-06-15 Accepted date : 2025-08-30

Keywords: The elderly , Safety, Traffic Pedestrian, Ahvaz City.,

Abstract :

The purpose of this research is to investigate the factors affecting the safety of elderly pedestrians in the city of Ahvaz. The study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. The statistical population consists of urban experts and specialists. A non-probabilistic, purposive sampling method was used to select 50 samples. A questionnaire was employed for data collection. The exploratory unrestricted cointegration rank test (Johansen method) was used for data analysis.The results showed that among the five main factors, the three most influential factors, in order of priority, are: 1)elderly-friendly urban design and planning (coefficient: 0.501), 2) environmental, equipment, and infrastructure factors related to the elderly(0.491),and 3) physical, demographic, and social characteristics of the elderly(0.346).Additionally,the ten most significant indicators affecting elderly pedestrian safety and solutions to address their challenges in Ahvaz are:designing pathways and spaces considering elderly characteristics, constructing safe crossings tailored to elderly mobility limitations, urban advertising to promote respect for the elderly,concentrating appropriateurbanservicesforthe elderly, developing elderly-friendly transportation facilities,fostering aculture of respect for elderly pedestrians, increasing the numberof pedestrian crossings designed for the elderly, involving the elderly in urban planning processes, prioritizing elderly needs in urban design, and providing canopies on sidewalks and rest seats alonghigh-traffic routes.These findings can be useful for predicting elderly pedestrian accidents and prioritizing urban projects.

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