WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--December 2 through 6 is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week and AARP Driver Safety, the country’s first and largest older driver safety initiative, wants to help motorists refresh their knowledge on how to stay safe, independent and confident when on the road.
“It’s no longer just a catchphrase. The rules of the road are changing. And the change extends far beyond new safety rules,” says Julie E. Lee, vice president and national director of AARP Driver Safety. “From new technologies inside vehicles to new vehicle designs, to major infrastructure changes, like wider highways and new traffic patterns, it’s critical that we remain smart when we’re behind the wheel.”
To that end, and to help drivers prepare for holiday travel, AARP Driver Safety will host a live Tweet Chat on the topic of “Driving Smart this Holiday Season” on Tuesday, December 3 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm Eastern Time. AARP Driver Safety (@AARPdsp) will lead the conversation and answer questions in real time on how to best prepare for a holiday road trip. Follow the conversation with the #ODSAWchat and #DriveSmarter hashtags.
“We all know the importance of maintaining our vehicles’ performance, but we don’t place the same emphasis on our own performance as drivers,” added Lee. “A basic refresh of our driving skills—from learning how to navigate challenging roundabouts or intersections, to learning how to stay focused behind the wheel amid increasing distractions—is critical to staying safe, as well as socially connected.”
AARP Driver Safety offers four easily accessible resources for older adults who want to brush up on driving best practices, including:
- AARP Smart Driver™ Course: Provides in-classroom and online courses to licensed drivers age 50 and older in all 50 states (New Mexico requires participants be 55 or older), the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. It is available in English and Spanish. An enhanced course curriculum will launch in 2014.
- AARP Driving Resource Center: The recently launched Driving Resource Center is an interactive online resource that features tools and activities, including driving simulations, state-specific rules of the road and new vehicle technologies.
- CarFit: A free, in-person educational program developed by AAA, AARP, and the American Occupational Therapy Association to help older drivers make adjustments in their car to ensure it “fits” just right, for maximum safety and comfort.
- We Need to Talk: A free program, based on information created jointly by The Hartford and MIT AgeLab, that provides online and in-person seminars to help families have difficult conversations with family members and loved ones about when to hang up the keys and stop driving. It is available in English and Spanish.
For more information, visit www.aarp.org/ADS2014.
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week is sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Association. It aims to raise awareness of older driver-related issues and provide information, tools, and resources to help drivers everywhere stay safe and confident on the road.
ABOUT AARP DRIVER SAFETY
AARP Driver Safety first launched in 1979 as the “55 Alive” program to help to keep older drivers independent, safe and confident while on the road. Today, AARP Driver Safety continues to meet the needs of older drivers through leading educational programs that include the AARP Smart Driver™ Course, CarFit, We Need to Talk, and the Driving Resource Center. The flagship AARP Smart Driver Course is the nation’s largest classroom and online driver safety course and is designed especially for drivers age 50 and older. Over 15 million participants have gone through AARP Driver Safety classroom and online courses, taught by more than 4,000 AARP Driver Safety volunteers. The courses are available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. To learn more visit www.aarp.org/drive or follow us @AARPdsp.
ABOUT AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment and income security, retirement planning, affordable utilities and protection from financial abuse. We advocate for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services. A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Español, a Spanish-language website addressing the interests and needs of Hispanics. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.
