IN THE COMMUNITY
Experts predict that 37 million Americans will be age 65 or older by the year 2020 and at least 90 percent of them will be licensed to drive. More than 187,000 seniors were involved in crashes in 2009 and 5,288 people age 65 and older were killed, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Visit SeniorDriving.AAA.com to learn all you need to know about senior driver safety and mobility. A site providing families of older drivers with valuable information related to senior mobility challenges and tools to help extend safe driving, and assist in difficult discussions about transitioning from driver to passenger.
To learn more or schedule a presentation, contact the Traffic Safety Lead in your state.
Learn MoreTraffic safety is vital for drivers of all ages, but older drivers experience physical changes that can affect driving ability including changes in vision, reaction time and flexibility. However, these skills deteriorate slowly over time, which is why it's important for drivers to regularly "self-check" their driving skills. The most important physical aspect of driving is seeing. In fact, 85% of driving is visual and 15% of driving is skill. It is proven that after age 40, eyesight deteriorates. A 60-year old driver requires ten times as much light to see as a 19 year old. Eyesight should be checked every two years, as opposed to relying on the test given by the Department of Motor Vehicles during license renewal. Senior drivers are generally smart drivers. They know their limitations, so they drive less, less at night and less in inclement weather. However, senior drivers injure more easily than younger drivers. The problem is not that senior drivers crash more but that they are more likely to die from injuries or get hurt.
In fact:
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.
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:
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:
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