Driving Safety For The Elderly

The senior citizens of today have grown alongside their cars.  They came of age in the 1940s and 1950s as the automobile culture really started to explode.  The automobile defined many aspects of their lives - where they chose to live, how they chose to vacation, where  they chose to work.  
The number of senior drivers is ever-increasing within the US. In the year 2008, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that there was thirty two million drivers – or fifteen percent of all licensed drivers – that were over the age of 65.

However, the automobile of today defines these seniors’ safety on the road. A lot of seniors on the road today are driving older vehicles, and others still are in vehicles that aren't fully adjusted to their height and driving skills.

According to NHTSA, the dangers to American drivers is very real.  In the year 2009, one hundred eighty-seven thousand seniors were hurt in car accidents, accounting for eight percent of all people that are injured in traffic collisions throughout the year. These individuals made up sixteen percent of traffic fatalities.  The majority of all traffic fatalities with older drivers in 2009 took place in the daytime (81 percent), on weekdays (71 percent), and involved other vehicles (69 percent).

With just a few safety measures and frequent vehicle maintenance checks to optimize visibility, senior drivers can keep independent and substantially improve their safety on the road.  We're proud to give you these suggestions for keeping seniors secure while traveling.

Conduct a Safety Fit Check on the Car:  In many cases, a senior's car is no longer a good fit for them.  The seat could be too low or the pedals too far to comfortably reach or mirrors may no longer be adjusted properly for good vision.  These factors can contribute to a potentially disastrous accident.  Steve's CARSTAR Auto Body Repair can give you a good evaluation.  To help keep the senior in your life safe, they provide pedal extensions, booster seats, mirror extension, magnifiers and running boards.

If you are hunting for a new or used car for a senior, try to find options like high or extra-wide doors, adjustable foot pedals, large interior door handles, over-sized knobs with clearly visible labels, support handles to help with entry and exit, big or adjustable-size text for dashboard gauges, seat adjustment systems that can move the seat in any direction - particularly raising it up so the driver’s line of sight is 3” over the adjusted steering wheel and dashboard-mounted ignition as opposed to steering column-mounted ignition, as your specific needs may direct.

Check the Vehicle's Visibility:  It isn't just important for the driver to see out of the car, it’s important for them to see the road completely and for other cars to be able to see them.   Many seniors will travel in vehicles that are older, and these headlamps substantially lose lighting capability and may become hazed over time.  The simple solution, a 3M Lens Renewal Kit, enables users to restore headlights to pristine clarity in under an hour with nothing more than a household drill or have it done professionally at Stock Auto Body CARSTAR in Arnold, MO. Put in new headlight bulbs, change out the wiper blades and give the interior and exterior glass a thorough cleaning to generally improve visibility.

Assess the Driver: It goes without saying that talking with seniors about their driving isn't an easy thing to do, but this is fundamentally important.  Fortunately, qualified assessments are available in every state through the Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED) and the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA).  The driver ought to expect a total evaluation, including vision screening, muscle strength, flexibility, range of motion, coordination, reaction time, judgment and decision-making abilities.

Have a Safe Travel Plan:  Elderly drivers are generally more safe on routes that do not require recurring lane changes or heavy traffic situations.  Help the senior in your life to schedule trips for times when traffic is not so heavy, and map out routes to regularly visited locations that include side streets and intersections that aren't so busy.  Also identify landmarks that help them stay oriented on their trip.

Prepare For An Accident:  In case of an accident, make provision with the senior through an accident kit with their insurance information, emergency contact list, names of their primary physician, notepad and disposable camera.  They can also give a call to 1-800-CARSTAR for our 24/7 assistance hotline where we can coordinate the towing, rental car and contact the insurance company. For the trunk, have an emergency kit packed including blanket, gloves, hat, water, granola bars, flashlight and extra batteries, extra cell phone battery, flares, compass, scissors, rope, wooden matches in waterproof container and first aid kit.

With even a small amount of preparation and smart maintenance, seniors can stay safe on the road well into their golden years. If you've got senior parents, family members, friends or neighbors, take just a few short minutes to do a safety check on their vehicle and help them prepare in case an accident does take place.  It can make a vital difference for them when next they hit the road.