SENIOR DRIVING

• Older drivers have the advantage of driving experience, but their reaction time is slowed. Allow a greater distance between you and the vehicle ahead to have plenty of time to stop.
• Determining the 4-second following distance: While driving, choose a distant roadside object. When the car ahead passes that object, start counting. Stop counting when your car reaches that object. If there's 4 seconds or more between vehicles, you're following at a safe distance.

• Research shows that 90 percent of older drivers who fail reaction tests at high speeds perform satisfactorily at speeds 10 mph slower. Keep to the speed limit.
• Drive familiar roads to reduce the chance of getting lost.
• Avoid rush-hour traffic to enjoy a less stressful drive.

• One third of all crashes are due to one or more vehicles backing up.
• Wait until your vehicle comes to a complete stop before turning back around to face the front of the vehicle. Keep in mind your vehicle will continue to roll when you take your foot off the accelerator.

• Don't think bigger is safer. A medium-sized car is best because it's easier to maneuver.
• "Test drive," seek easy-to-see gauges and easy-to-grasp controls.
• Sit with shoulders level with the top of the steering wheel and breastbone at least 10 inches away from the airbag.
• A steering wheel that tilts helps drivers find a safe, comfortable position.
• Choose vehicles with height-adjustable seats.
• Skip tinted windows that can reduce low-light vision.
• Make sure the car has ABS brakes, head restraints and air bags. These features aren't luxuries - they're necessities.
• For people with hip problems, consider leather seats - they're easier to maneuver on than cloth.

DriveSharp is an interactive series of game-like computer exercises shown in independent studies to improve reaction time, reduce crash risk and increase control in most driving conditions.

Using DriveSharp can help you:

• Cut your risk of a car crash by up to 50%
• Increase useful field of view by up to 200%
• Reduce stopping distance by up to 22 feet at 55mph
• Increase confidence while driving at night and in congested traffic

We drive with our eyes more than any other sense. Vision provides as much as 85 percent of the information we need to make safe decisions behind the wheel. Consider the following:

• The amount of light needed to drive roughly doubles every 13 years
• The ability to change focus declines with age
• Younger drivers need only about two seconds to adjust their focus from near to far, such as when looking from the speedometer to the road ahead
• Drivers over 40 take three seconds or more, with more time needed as they age
• Compared to a 16-year-old, a 55-year-old takes eight times longer to recover from glare
• Colors become harder to see, especially red
• Some older drivers take twice as long to distinguish the flash of brake lights as young drivers
• Peripheral vision narrows with age and depth perception declines
• Depth perception affects the ability to judge how fast other cars are moving

• Turn off the radio and keep chatter with passengers to a minimum.
• Keep cell phone use to emergencies only. If you must use the phone, pull off to a safe location.

• Left hand turns frequently result in crashes for mature drivers. Exercise awareness when turning left and try to use intersections that have left-turn signals or stop signs.
• When waiting at a left turn signal, keep your front tires facing straight, as opposed to angling them to the left. This way, if bumped from behind, the car will head straight, as opposed to heading into oncoming traffic.

A lesser known issue is the potentially dangerous combination of medication and driving. A AAA Foundation study (Aug. 2009) found that a large majority of drivers 55+ are unaware of the potentially dangerous combination of medications and driving. In fact, 78% surveyed take medications but just more than 1 in 4 are aware of potential impacts on driving. View the report to learn how you can avoid driving danger caused by medication.

• Medications can interfere with driving by making the driver drowsy or distracted. This includes many over-the-counter medications such as decongestants or cold remedies. Read the fine print. If a medication is labeled "Do not use while operating heavy machinery," let someone else drive.
• Inform your doctor about what nonprescription medications you are taking. This includes alcohol, which can interact with some drugs to cause serious side effects.
• Roadwise Rx is a free, confidential tool developed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety that adults can use to explore how medications may affect safe driving. It offers a way for you to record all of your medications in one central location. It also provides customized feedback on how your prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements and foods, as well as their interactions with each other, can affect safe driving.
  Click here to learn more.

• Studies have shown that exercise can slow down the aging process and help reactions stay sharp. Higher levels of fitness among older drivers correspond to better driver skills. Flexibility permits drivers to move their entire body and all their joints more freely in order to observe the road from all angles.
• Stay mentally active. Use problem solving skills in non-driving ways can help mental flexibility - including activities like jigsaw puzzles or crosswords.

• Helps prevent fatigue while driving
• Allows for looking over the shoulder to check for blind spots
• Makes parallel parking easier
• Assists in backing up the car
• Stay mentally active. Use problem solving skills in non-driving ways can help mental flexibility - including activities like jigsaw puzzles or crosswords.

• Prevents fatigue
• Makes steering easier
• Makes backing up easier
• Makes mirror checking easier

• Makes backing up easier
• Helps in making adjustments on the dash
• Helps in looking to the side or back
• Beneficial for parallel parking

• Makes backing up easier
• Assists in making adjustments to mirrors
• Assists in picking up objects from the floor or seat of the vehicle
• Improves parallel parking agility

• Three mirrors should be present on the vehicle: one mirror on each side of the car and one large rearview mirror.
• Additional mirrors won't eliminate blind spots - only relocate them.
• Mirrors cannot replace a look over the shoulder prior to a lane change, so keeping the neck flexible through exercise is important.