WALNUT CREEK – AAA Northern California is calling on seniors and their families to openly discuss the challenges related to driving, aging and safe mobility during Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, December 6-12.

To help facilitate these discussions, AAA is providing a variety of free resources at www.aaa.com/seniordrivers .

 

People age 65 and older represent the fastest growing segment of the country’s population, which means the ability of a senior to drive safely is an issue for millions of Americans. Also, given age-related frailties, seniors have the highest crash death rate per mile of everyone except teenagers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

 

“Many people do not know where to turn for help to address the safety and mobility challenges often faced by older drivers and their families and AAA is here to help,” said AAA Northern California spokesperson Matt Skryja. “At www.aaa.com/seniordrivers , we have tools to help manage the inevitable consequences of aging, and the effects of that aging on driving ability.”

 

For many seniors, conversations about continued safe driving can spark strong emotional reactions. Fortunately, these conversations also can serve as opportunities for constructive communication and problem solving.

There are some common questions that come up:

 

• Is it safe to continue driving?

• Are there tools to help older drivers be safer?

• When is it time to hang up the keys?

• What options exist when seniors can no longer drive?

To address this growing concern among families, AAA provides expert advice, research-based tools, and resources through its safety and mobility web site www.aaa.com/seniordrivers .

The information and tools on the site are designed to aid in prompting conversations, assessing abilities, developing and implementing action plans, and improving the comfort and safety of older drivers.

Here’s a sampling of the resources:

• Online Mature Driver Course helps older drivers decrease their risk of traffic violations, collision, and injury and can qualify them for a AAA insurance discount.

• AAA Roadwise Review is a CD-ROM program designed to assess a driver’s functional abilities important to safe driving.

• CarFit and AAA’s Smart Features for Mature Drivers help enhance seniors’ comfort and safety while driving.

• Drive Sharp is a computer-based brain fitness training program for driver safety.