The Auto Club

A new senior safety and mobility Web site, http://www.aaaseniors.com/, has been created by AAA as part of its senior driver safety initiative.

The Web site, which includes content and resources based upon extensive research, provides families of older drivers with valuable information related to senior mobility challenges and 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 Vice President of Public Affairs Kathleen Marvaso. “AAASeniors.com gives seniors and their families the tools necessary to create an action plan to help seniors manage the inevitable consequences of aging, continue to drive safely or transition to alternative modes of transportation, and remain independent.”

AAASeniors.com provides expert advice about how aging affects one’s ability to drive safely. Visitors 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.

“With more Americans remaining active and living longer than ever before, the AAA senior driver safety tools and resources found on AAASeniors.com are designed to keep seniors safe and mobile as long as possible,” Marvaso added.