AAA: Most senior drivers forgo simple steps to improve everyone’s safety

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Ninety percent of older drivers do not make adaptations to their vehicles that can improve safety and extend their time behind the wheel, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. These common adaptations can include, but are not limited to, pedal extensions, seat cushions, and steering wheel covers, which can help to improve safety by reducing a senior driver’s crash risk.

“This is alarming, given that seniors aged 65 and over are more than twice as likely as younger drivers to be killed when involved in a crash,” said Theresa Podguski, AAA East Central Director of Legislative Affairs. “While many are considered to be safe drivers, seniors should consider making these simple adaptations to reduce the risk of hurting themselves or others as they drive.”

The research brief, In-Vehicle Technologies, Vehicle Adaptations, and Older Drivers: Use, Learning, and Perceptions is the first phase in the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s groundbreaking Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) project. Researchers are currently engaged in generating the largest and most comprehensive senior driver database in existence. This critical information will support in-depth research to better understand the risks and transportation needs of our aging population.

For this phase of the study, researchers investigated 12 vehicle adaptations and found that fewer than nine percent of senior drivers reported using any of the devices in their vehicles. Some of the inexpensive devices that can be purchased and put to use in new or existing vehicles are:

– Cushions and seat pads: improves line of sight and can help alleviate back or hip pain;

– Convex/multifaceted mirrors: improves visibility and minimizes blind spots;

– Pedal extension: helps drivers obtain a safe distance from the steering wheel/airbag and optimize visibility;

– Steering wheel covers: improves grip for drivers with arthritic hand joints; and

– Hand controls: allows the driver to perform all vehicle maneuvers and functions without the use of lower extremities.

Choosing the right features and working with a trained technician is imperative to safety behind the wheel. Of those drivers who have a safety device, almost 90 percent reported that they did not work with a trained professional to install the modification, a key recommendation by both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). AAA urges drivers to consult with a trained technician to guide them in making adjustments to their vehicle.

Vehicle adaptations also benefit seniors’ mental health by extending their time on the road. Previous research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that seniors who have stopped driving are almost two times more likely to suffer from depression and nearly five times more likely to enter a long-term care facility than those who remain behind the wheel.

In the LongROAD study, more than 70 percent of senior drivers had experienced health conditions that impact muscles and bones such as arthritis, hip/knee replacement and joint pains. Some seniors in the study reduced their driving due to these conditions. The installation of certain devices like steering wheel covers can help lessen the impact of arthritis while larger mirrors and assistive devices on seats can help with limited neck mobility.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 81 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members. News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Drivers surveyed by AAA are not taking advantage of easy, inexpensive features

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