December 7-11 Marks Older Driver Safety Awareness Week

As we age, our ability to drive safely can be negatively impacted by chronic conditions and impairments.

To shine needed light on older driver safety issues, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is sponsoring Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, which will run December 7^th through 11^th.

How the Aging Process Affects Driving

Although everyone ages in different ways, aging generally brings about reduced strength, flexibility, and coordination. These changes can negatively impact safe driving:

• Neck pain and stiffness can prevent drivers from looking about for vehicles and pedestrians as they change lanes or cross intersections.
• Poor arm strength reduces your ability to steer quickly and accurately.
• Reaction times can slow, causing a delay in reactions to the surrounding environment.

Older Driver Safety Tips

All families are encouraged to use this awareness week as an opportunity to talk with elderly loved ones and to encourage them to follow these important safety tips.

• Seniors should get regular health checkups, including vision and hearing tests.
• Older drivers should discuss health conditions and medications with their doctor, as they may affect driving abilities and require adjustment or correction. Vision and hearing problems, memory issues, and limited range of motion can make driving unsafe without proper treatment.
• Choose automobiles with the features needed for safe driving, including power brakes and steering, as well as an automatic transmission. An occupational therapist can assist older drivers in obtaining the vehicle adjustments needed to make driving safer.
• Defensive driving should always be practiced. Older drivers must be diligent about leaving proper space between motor vehicles while driving and avoiding distractions on the road.
• Seniors should be mindful of their own limitations. Avoid difficult driving situations like driving at night or in bad weather.

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