This study contributes to the current research by adding a longitudinal analysis of factors related to vehicle ownership dynamics among older adults. Given an increasing number of older people in the low-density areas, the declined vehicle ownership over the life course might add additional travel difficulties to their lives. This study uses the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics (2001–2017), a large-scale panel survey of American households which began in 1968, to examine the role of life-cycle events, household socioeconomic attributes, and built environment factors on vehicle ownership reductions among older Americans. This study finds that becoming alone due to loss of partner or divorce and reduced income are related to decreased vehicle ownership and transitioning into zero-vehicle households. Age and being headed by Hispanics are also positively related to the probability of lowering vehicle ownership from one to zero. The results further demonstrate that female older adults living alone are more likely to live in zero-vehicle households than the male counterparts. This study suggests that policymakers should consider providing additional support, e.g., offering alternative transportation modes, for older adults when owning and using vehicles is temporarily or permanently impossible.

本研究通过对与老年人车辆拥有动态相关的因素进行纵向分析，为当前的研究做出了贡献。鉴于低密度地区的老年人越来越多，在整个生命过程中车辆拥有量的下降可能会给他们的生活增加额外的出行困难。本研究使用收入动态面板调查（2001-2017），这是一项始于 1968 年的美国家庭大规模面板调查，以检验生命周期事件、家庭社会经济属性和建筑环境因素对车辆拥有量的作用在美国老年人中减少。这项研究发现，由于失去伴侣或离婚以及收入减少而变得孤独与车辆拥有量减少和过渡到零车辆家庭有关。年龄和由西班牙裔领导也与将车辆拥有率从 1 降低到 0 的概率呈正相关。结果进一步表明，独居的女性老年人比男性老年人更有可能生活在零汽车家庭中。这项研究表明，在暂时或永久不可能拥有和使用车辆的情况下，政策制定者应考虑为老年人提供额外的支持，例如提供替代交通方式。