Older Driver Safety Awareness Week Encourages Families to Plan Ahead

OFF THE WIRE
http://www.public88.com/insurance/car-insurance/motorcycle-insurance-older-driver-safety-awareness-week-encourages-families-to-plan-ahead/
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week Encourages Families to Plan Ahead

In support of this week’s Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, December 6-10, AAA Hayward is offering seniors and their families tools to begin the difficult conversation about the challenges of driving and aging. ShareThis Email PDF Print The AAA office in Hayward, California. The issue of keeping older drivers safe while continuing to drive touches millions of families. Hayward, CA (Vocus/PRWEB) December 08, 2010
Seniors are the fastest growing segment of the population and, other than teenagers, the most likely to be killed while behind the wheel. As Older Driver Safety Awareness Week kicks off, AAA is offering tools and information to help seniors and their families plan for the future.
“The issue of keeping older drivers safe while continuing to drive touches millions of families,” said AAA Northern California spokesperson Cynthia Harris. “This is an opportunity to start a conversation about safe mobility with a senior family member and evaluate any real and perceived challenges associated with driving and aging.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in five people will be at least 65 years old by the year 2030. That same year, nearly 10 million people will be 85 years of age or older. An estimated 90 percent of both these groups will be licensed to drive. When a crash occurs, age-related frailties make a senior more likely to be injured or killed. This helps to explain why seniors have the highest crash death rate per mile of any group except teenagers, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Conversations about safe driving can evoke strong emotional reactions from some older drivers, particularly concerns about personal independence and managing day-to-day activities. AAA encourages seniors and their families to approach these sensitive conversations as opportunities for constructive communication and problem solving.
AAA has many resources and tools for older drivers and their families, including:
AAA Roadside Review is a computer-based tool designed to privately assess a driver’s functional abilities related to safe driving behavior. CarFit and AAA’s Smart Features for Mature Drivers evaluate and enhance seniors’ comfort and safety in their car while driving. Online Mature Driver Course can help reduce an older driver’s risk of traffic violations and collisions and qualify seniors for insurance discounts. DriveSharp is an online course clinically proven to help drivers cut their risk of collision
For more information, call the AAA Hayward office at (510) 962-9628 or visit http://www.aaa.com/seniordrivers.
About AAA AAA is an insurance company specializing in home insurance, flood insurance, life insurance, rental insurance, car insurance (auto insurance), motorcycle insurance, personal umbrella policies, Department of Motor Vehicle services, travel accommodations and an array of membership services in Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo, Fremont, Newark, and Union California.