*2.2.3 Unwillingness to reduce driving and the role of affect*

As already mentioned, older people when driving often engage in age-counteracted behaviours [self-regulation] and are thus less likely to take risks and avoid difficult driving or travelling situations. Less peer pressure and increased self-awareness may influence age-counteracted and compensatory behaviours for older people view limitations [8, 32–34]. Many older drivers will be unwilling to reduce their driving because of the increased inconvenience, loss of social activities and lack of suitable alternative transport modes, loss of independence and increase in social isolation etc. [35–39]. The relationship between many people and their car is not so much an *economic* one as an *affective* one and they make choices about travel mode using the *affect heuristic* [40]; this means that comfort, convenience, feelings of risk and security, etc. all play the larger part in the decision. Older people may be more time-rich and potentially more money-poor than they were when working, but decisions on transport mode are still likely to be affect-driven, and poor public transport provision must surely exacerbate that situation (e.g. [41]).
