Older Driver Safety Project Overview

n4a's Older Driver Safety Project, funded through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), promotes older driver safety awareness, education, and practices at the community level. Area Agencies on Aging and Title VI Native American aging programs are uniquely positioned to provide information and training on driver safety to older adults and their caregivers. As the "single point of information" about aging issues and services in communities nationwide, AAAs and Title VI agencies are in a powerful position to promote older driver safety.

Over the next 30 years, the number of older drivers on our nation’s highways is expected to more than double, and the number of drivers over the age of 85 is expected to be four to five times greater than today. The growing ranks of older drivers in the decades ahead will pose challenges for older adults, their caregivers, aging service providers and communities at large. Our society is largely based on mobility which is centered on the use of personal automobiles. Although we cannot generalize on any older person’s capabilities, studies have shown that a common consequence of aging is a reduction in the skills needed to drive safely. A large range of options, however, can assist older drivers to assess their skills, become better educated on improving their driving performance, and, if driving is no longer an option, assist them in finding mobility alternatives.

Activities of the Older Driver Safety Project include:

• Identify and Distribute Information on Older Driver Safety Best Practices
• Maintain a Technical Assistance Peer Exchange Program
• Conduct National Training Sessions on Older Driver Safety
• Distribute a monthly electronic newsletter on Older Driver Safety issues

To receive the newsletter, send an e-mail request to mbruggermurphy@n4a.org.