AAA Launches New Senior Driver Safety Web Site

AAASeniors.com offers tools and resources for older drivers and their families

NEWS from AAA Oklahoma, June 16 – AAA has announced the launch of a new senior driver safety and mobility Web site, www.AAASeniors.com. The Web site, which includes content and resources based on extensive research, provides families of older drivers with information related to senior mobility challenges as well as tools to help extend safe driving and assist in difficult discussions about transitioning from driver to passenger.

“According to our research, many adult children of older drivers – the ‘sandwich boomers’ – are unaware that resources exist to effectively address the safety and mobility challenges of senior drivers,” said AAA Oklahoma spokesman Chuck Mai. “Our goal is to help senior drivers drive as long as possible, as safely as possible. AAASeniors.com does this, plus it talks about mobility and alternatives to driving while still maintaining total independence.”

AAASeniors.com provides advice about how aging affects one’s ability to drive safely. Visitors to the site will find a step-by-step guide on how to begin a conversation with an older driver about working together to develop a plan for the transition from driver to passenger. Additionally, visitors will find a variety of tools and resources from educational brochures and driver improvement courses, to tips on choosing a vehicle, to skill assessment tools and free community-based programs.

“Many adult children, grandchildren and seniors will at some point be faced with a difficult decision about a mature adult’s ability to drive safely,” said Dr. Alexis Abramson, one of the nation’s leading gerontologists.“I can’t stress enough how important it is to be proactive in developing a plan of action based on factual, compassionate and objective information, such as that found at AAASeniors.com.”

People who are 65 years old or older represent the fastest growing segment of the country’s population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in four drivers – more than 30 million – will be age 65 or older by 2030.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 51 million members (334,000 in Oklahoma) with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA Oklahoma can be visited online at AAA.com.