Driving-safety fair for seniors targets area’s high crash rate
Boca free event offers older folks tips on being safe behind the wheel.
A recent crash in Broward County serves as a reminder of the importance of driver safety programs for those age 65 and older.
And an event Tuesday in Boca Raton will give Palm Beach County residents in that age group the opportunity to learn more about safe driving habits ahead of the busy holiday travel season.
Several organizations and agencies — the Safe Mobility for Life Coalition, the Florida Department of Transportation and CarFit — will host the Safety is Golden Mobility Fair, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Volen Center.
On Monday, an older male driver was taken to the hospital after he crashed his SUV into a bus stop, according to the Hollywood Police Department.
The incident was one of many in South Florida: Palm Beach County was identified by Florida’s Safe Mobility for Life Coalition as one of 10 urban Florida counties for 2016 where older driver education needs to be a priority.
The coalition based its decision on a study looking at data from 201214 that shows Palm Beach County has one of the highest rates in the Fair 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday The Volen Center, 1515 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton
Call Gail Holley, FDOT Safe Mobility for Life program manager, at 850-4105414; or go to flsams.org and click on the green bar at the top of the page that says,“Click here for information about Older Driver Safety Awareness Week.” 0200
Call 855-409-
state for crashes involving people age 65 and older.
The county with the highest rate: Miami-Dade, which had 53 crashes for every 1,000 people age 65 and older during the three-year stretch. In Palm Beach County, that number was 36 wrecks for every 1,000 people age 65 and older.
Gail Holley, Safe Mobility for Life program and research manager for FDOT, said that number includes “all aging road users: pedestrians, bicyclists, passengers. It’s not just drivers.”
Though its timing coincides with National Older Driver Safety Awareness Week from Dec. 4-10, Holley said Tuesday’s event will be focused on more than just getting behind the wheel.
“We talk about all aspects of transportation safety and mobility,” she said. “We want people to think about different ways to get around, not just in our car.”
The event is free and will feature outdoor and indoor areas where drivers can interact with vendors, find transportation safety tips, get information on mobility options and renew driver’s licenses.
Maybe one of the most intriguing features of the event: Drivers can sign up for a 30-minute appointment with CarFit, a program developed in part by AAA and AARP to help improve the safety and comfort of their vehicle.
Fran Carlin Rogers, a senior transportation consultant and national CarFit instructor, said while some suggestions during a CarFit appointment might seem like common sense, there are a lot of little things that come together to make a vehicle as safe as possible for the driver.
One example: CarFit volunteers will check to make sure a driver is sitting at least 10 inches back from the steering wheel. Rogers said this can significantly minimize the chances of being seriously injured if an air bag deploys.
“As we get older, we get shorter, so you end up being closer to the steering wheel than you might think,” Rogers said.
Drivers also will receive suggestions on seat adjustment, steering-wheel tilt and — a big one, Rogers said — mirror position.