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Contact your local AAA club for the AAA's "Safe Driving for Mature Operators"
course.
Call 1-800-621-6244 to ask about the National Safety Council's Defensive Driving
Course for the mature driver.
Driving safely requires your full attention.
To reduce distractions:
Focus on the traffic ahead, behind and next to you. Don't let the scenery divert
your attention from the road.
Limit conversation to only what is necessary.
Keep the radio off or the volume low.
Do not permit smoking in your car. Smoke may aggravate your congestion and
interfere with your night vision.
Driving Safety
Drive at the posted speed limit or stay in the right lane if you are driving
slower. If you feel that cars are going too fast, switch to a different route.
Drive defensively and yield the right-of-way.
Do not drive when you are tired.
Pace yourself. Take a break after every 1 1/2 to two hours of driving. Get out
of the car and stretch. Be sure to drink adequate amounts of water.
If you need eyeglasses to drive, wear them each time you take a trip, even if
it's only a short distance.
Avoid driving a car that has tinted windshields.
The American Association of Retired Persons recommends that under good weather
conditions, leave enough space between you and the car ahead of you so that it
takes three seconds to reach what that driver just passed. In bad weather,
extend that to five seconds.
Prepare in advance for long trips. Plan your route on a map, noting exits,
landmarks, expected mileage, etc. Get enough rest the night before you leave.
Carry bottled water and a first aid kit in the car.
Clean your vehicle's headlights, taillights, windshield (inside and out), and
rear window on a regular basis.
Keep your vehicle in good operating condition.
If you have noticed that it now takes longer to respond to situations while you
drive, ask someone you trust to accompany you on a driving trip and monitor how
well you drive.
To reduce injury risk
Always wear safety belts. Don't don't drink and drive.
Avoid busy streets, roads, and intersections.
Maintain a greater distance between you and the car ahead of you.
Alter your route to avoid turning left. (Studies show many accidents involving
older people occur when they make a left turn.)
Avoid driving in the rush hour, if possible.
Avoid traveling during heavy rainstorms or when there is snow or ice on the
roads.
Drive shorter distances.
Drive during daylight hours only. Try to avoid traveling in the direction of the
sun as it sets or rises. The intensity of the sun can be very stressful on the
eyes.
Driving a car with power steering, power brakes, automatic transmission, and
adjustable seats and steering wheel can compensate for loss of strength and
flexibility. In more severe cases, special devices can be added to a vehicle to
assist with many driving functions.
Don't slouch or hunch forward in the car; sit up straight. Hard car seats
provide more support for your back. Adjust the driver's seat so your shoulders
are parallel to the top of the steering wheel.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety brochure, "A Flexibility Training Package
for Improving Older Driver Performance," is available free of charge by sending
a self-addressed, stamped (business size) envelope to Flexibility Guide, AAA
Foundation for Traffic Safety, 1440 New York Ave., NW, Suite 201, Washington,
D.C. 20005.
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