The street is a public area for relations and peaceful coexistence where the elderly play a major role as they make a great number of journeys on foot. They are also regular users of public transport.

As part of its preventive tasks, the Guardia Urbana of Barcelona gives sessions on safe mobility in residences for the elderly. These sessions are given by traffic safety education monitors to serve as a forum for reflection on attitudes in terms of mobility from the standpoint of pedestrians in order to improve safety for them.

As a risk group involved in road traffic accidents, the elderly must be the object of priority action when it comes to preventing them from being at risk when they make journeys on foot (knockdowns).

Advice for elderly people:

• Cross the street at designated points (always look before crossing).
• Use the pavements.
• Pay attention to traffic lights (wait on the pavement and not in the road, and wait until vehicles are stationary before crossing).
• Watch out for vehicles pulling out (garages and pavements).
• Choose the safest route (streets with wide pavements, streets that are well lit, etc.).
• Be aware of your own limits.
• Bear in mind the possible effects of medication (if you are taking medication, try not to go out unaccompanied).
• Try to avoid gatherings of people on pavements, which hinder other passers-by, forcing them to move onto the road.
• Be careful when crossing a street with a traffic light (when the green man starts to flash, for example).