ALBANY – In recognition of Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, the New York State Office for the Aging and the DMV are offering tips and resources to help older drivers maintain safe skills and independence.
While New York drivers aged 65 and over account for 21 percent of licensed drivers, they are involved in only 11 percent of fatal and injury crashes and are less likely to drive recklessly. However, when older drivers are involved in a crash, they are statistically more likely to suffer severe injury or death compared to younger drivers, and the national rate of fatal crashes involving this group is increasing. Office for the Aging, Director Greg Olsen stated our “goal is for older adults to be as active and engaged in their communities for as long as possible, and one way to ensure that is by maintaining safe driving skills.”
He urges family members and caregivers of older drivers to encourage them to keep up with their driving skills, learn about new traffic patterns, vehicle features, and traffic laws. He also recommends helping them maintain safe driving skills by taking a driver improvement course, such as AAA’s RoadWise driver program, which can offer point and insurance reduction benefits.
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