Debra A. Kerrigan, MS, OTR/L Newton-Wellesley Hospital Department of Rehabilitation Services Drive Safe Program Steering Clear at 60+ Tips for safe driving as we age

Drive Safe Program “Skills for the Job of Living”

Drive Safe Program  Independence  Freedom  Convenience  Connection and contribution to the community, friends, family  Respect  Pride of owning a vehicle (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program  How are today’s cars different ? (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program  What about the roads and driving today?  How has driving changed? (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program  Vision  Strength, flexibility and reflexes  Health conditions like arthritis  Memory (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program

 Adjust mirrors properly before driving  Check rearview mirror every 10 to 20 seconds  Turn your head and look before changing lanes or merging with traffic  Other tips…. (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program Aging may bring diminished  muscle strength to legs, arms, and handgrip—all important for vehicle control  flexibility to look over the shoulder for checking traffic  reaction time to respond to traffic or road hazards (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program  Physical Activity  Strengthening  Stretching  Endurance  Balance development  Adaptive Equipment

Drive Safe Program Older adults may be more susceptible to adverse or strong reactions  May take more medications, which increases the likelihood for interaction  The body may not use medications as effectively and reacts more strongly to even lower doses (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program  Be aware of your reaction to medications, vitamins, and supplements.  New medicine: Ask doctor or pharmacist about side effects.  Medication makes you dizzy or drowsy: Talk to doctor.  Adjust your driving schedule to accommodate the reaction.

Drive Safe Program Driving a car requires:  Making decisions quickly which requires mental alertness.  Switching attention quickly to many situations happening on the road.  Dividing attention to perform many tasks such as steering, shifting gears checking mirrors and looking ahead. (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program  Organize your trip  Sunglasses in easy reach  Money ready for tolls  Read your map before you start your trip  Control your environment  Turn the radio/music down or off  Ask passengers to keep conversations down  Watch your temper  Drive on familiar roads (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program  Improve concentration on the road by getting enough sleep and rest  Practice habits of sleep health  Avoid naps  Develop a regular time to go to bed  Do some physical activity each day  Eat a light meal in the evening  Avoid drinking tea, coffee, or cocoa 6 hours before bedtime (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program  When  Talk about driving before a problem develops.  Why  The discussion is about your connection to the community and your control over your future.  Driving discussions affect others—families, loved ones and friends, and those in the community that rely on you. (DriveWell 1 )

Drive Safe Program

 Most older drivers are safe  Many older drivers self-restrict  Majority of older drivers in the United States will outlive their ability to drive by about 7 to 10 years 3  Objective assessments and driver rehabilitation can be helpful  “ Driving is considered a privilege but mobility is a human right” 2

Drive Safe Program  RMV:  Evaluators lack specialized knowledge of health conditions and aging  Driver Rehabilitation Specialists  Specialized training  Driving instructors: knowledge of driving  Occupational therapists: knowledge of driving + medical conditions

Drive Safe Program Driving Evaluations Clinical Assessment of Underlying Skills for Driving + On-Road Assessment of Driving Performance ________________________________________________ Driving Recommendations

Drive Safe Program  Thank you!  Program Evaluation

Drive Safe Program 1 American Society on Aging & National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2007). DriveWell: Promoting older driver safety and mobility in your community. U.S. Department of Transportation. DOT HS Eby, D. W., & Molnar, L. J. (2008). “2008 North American License Policies Workshop Proceedings.” AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Available: Foley, D.J., Heimovitz, H.K., Guralnik, J., and Brock, D. (August 2002). “Driving life expectancy of persons aged 70 years and older in the United States.” American Journal of Public Health 92(8):1284–89.