It’s “Older Driver Safety Awareness Week,” here are some tips to stay safe on the roads
This week is “Older Driver Safety Awareness Week”and authorities say that many accidents in the Coachella Valley are caused by the effects of aging such as changes in vision or responsiveness.
In April of this year, a 73 year old driver crashed into a gas station in Thousand Palms, confusing the gas pedal for the break.
In February of this year, a bystander at a boutique in Palm Desert suffered major injuries after a vehicle plowed through the front.
And a Baskin-Robbins in Rancho Mirage was forced to close for several days after a 62-year-old driver failed to yield at a stop sign in time back in January.
These are a few examples in a pattern we see in the Coachella Valley. Authorities say most of these incidents are sadly caused by senior drivers.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, certain functions can decline with age.
“Even if you think you don’t have a problem driving, as we age our necks get stiff our arms get tight and our arthritis sets in,” said Daniel Coover, the Program Director at the Joslyn Center in Palm Desert.
But there are many resources available locally to help keep senior drivers sharp on the roads.
The Joslyn Senior Center offers a two day driving course partnering with AARP once a month. This month’s sign up sheet is nearly full. “It helps to take these classes whether you need it or not,” said Coover.
AAA also has several resources available online to help promote safe senior driving, including a test you can take at home.
Many members of our senior community say driving is an essential part of their independence and emotional well being. “I’d feel absolutely lost. I’d feel like a prisoner if I couldn’t drive. I would feel very lonely…I’d feel very isolated,” said Priscilla Lawson.
“Well driving means everything to me. Without driving I can’t get around,” said Howard Sandler.
But it’s also important to know when it’s time to stop driving. Ella Hardin, who was once a registered nurse, says she saw several accidents in her lifetime that could have been prevented. “The important thing to know is to know there is a time to quit…and you should quit and we have wonderful alternatives in this desert,” said Hardin.
The Department of Motor Vehicles requires all drivers to retest in person once their license expires past the age of 70. The California DMV has provided a free Senior Guide for Safe Driving. It includes a questionnaire for assessing driving and information on how to make proper adjustments to a vehicle that can help counter the physical effects aging can have.
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