December 6-10, 2021 is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week which aims to promote older drivers’ safety behind the wheel. Roadway safety is important for all, especially one of the most vulnerable populations of road users — older drivers.
In 2019, 54.1 million people, 16% of the United States population, were over age 65.1 In the same year, there were 7,214 people 65 and older killed in traffic crashes in the United States accounting for 20 percent of all traffic fatalities. The risk of crashes for older drivers is in part related to physical, visual, and/or cognitive changes associated with aging, including medical conditions and the medications used to treat them. It is important to note, simply getting older doesn’t mean drivers should hang up their keys. “Ensuring older driver safety includes understanding age-related changes that may affect driving. Individuals and safety advocates can support older adults in their community by sharing resources on transportation planning or volunteering with an organization that provides transportation services,” said Diana Gugliotta, Senior Manager of Public Affairs at AAA Northeast.
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week is the perfect opportunity for families to have a conversation about older adults’ long-term mobility and transportation needs. AAA Northeast offers a free online resource www.AAA.com/KeyTiming containing information on local transportation resources, tips on how to prepare for a conversation of “driving retirement” and develop a mobility plan. AAA also offers defensive driving courses and other free driver safety workshops for older drivers; more information is available at AAA.com/Community.