Disclaimer: The content of this article is the opinion of the author alone. The People’s Paper & Make A Scene Magazine are open forums for the community, and do not endorse any specific candidate or content that is published by the author through the publications.

Contributed by Amy Brown, Center for Safe Alaskan

Older drivers are often the safest drivers. They are more likely to wear seatbelts, and less likely to speed or drink and drive. According to a survey from AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, 9 in 10 older drivers fasten their seat belts when behind the wheel and more than a third have taken driver improvement courses. However, older drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured when a crash does occur due to the greater fragility. Age also brings changes to vision, cognition, flexibility, and speed of reflexes. As such, new strategies or adaptive equipment may be needed to ensure safety and comfort.

CarFit is a program that can help improve safety of older drivers. It is a FREE driver safety program that guides senior drivers through a 12-point checklist to improve the fit to their vehicles, and to assess the driver's car for optimal safety settings. The program is a partnership between AAA, AARP, and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to enhance safety, comfort and provide the best protection for the driver in the event of a crash.

Findings show that senior drivers often experience safety-related challenges of improper or inadequate fit including:

· Distance from steering wheel (59%)

· Views from side mirrors (31%)

· Seat height (28%)

· Head restraint height (21%)

Some of the areas that CarFit assess are:

· Seatbelt fit to ensure correct placement on the strong bones of the driver, not the neck or belly. · Properly adjusted mirrors to diminish blind spots.

· The proper tilt of the steering wheel and positioning of the air bag: at least 10 inches between the chest and the airbag housed in the steering wheel.

· A properly adjusted head restraint to prevent whiplash injuries.

· A clear line of sight above the steering wheel and dash.

· Easy access to the gas and brake pedal.

To ensure safety and convenience through COVID-19, we have created an easy-to-follow 12-part CarFit video series that you can watch from your computer or smartphone. The total time to watch all 12 videos is around 20 minutes. Viewers that watch all 12 videos will also be entered to win 1 of 10 $25 Fred Meyer gift cards! The drawing will take place on October 1st. To participate, please visit www.safealaskans.org/carfit.

If you have questions or require assistance at any time, please contact us at 907-929-3939 or email, info@safealaskans.org. For more information about the national CarFit program, visit https://www.car-fit.org/.

Center for Safe Alaskans is a non-profit agency funded through a grant from the Alaska Highway Safety Office. Safe Alaskans coordinates transportation safety programs locally for all ages to include CarFit, car seat and booster seat checkups and teen driving safety campaigns.

Amy Brown is the certified CarFit Project Coordinator for Center for Safe Alaskans and can be reached at amy@safealaskans.org.

Older drivers are often the safest drivers. They are more likely to wear seatbelts, and less likely to speed or drink and drive. According to a survey from AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association, 9 in 10 older drivers fasten their seat belts when behind the wheel and more than a third have taken driver improvement courses. However, older drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured when a crash does occur due to the greater fragility. Age also brings changes to vision, cognition, flexibility, and speed of reflexes. As such, new strategies or adaptive equipment may be needed to ensure safety and comfort.