ALBANY — During Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, the state Office for the Aging is encouraging older drivers and their families to utilize several resources that can help avoid safety risks behind the wheel, including NYSOFA’s guide Are You Concerned about an Older Driver?

“There are many factors affecting driver safety for older adults,” said NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen. “But age alone is not a predictor of risk. In fact, research shows that older adults, as a group, successfully adjust for age-related changes that otherwise affect safe-driving practices.”

He said, “There are several factors that can lead to unsafe driving conditions for older adults, including medical issues that increase susceptibility to injury, as well as impairment caused by prescription medication. Many resources are available to help individuals adapt to these new realities in their lives or find alternatives to driving, when necessary.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drivers aged 55 and older are involved in fewer crashes than other groups. However, they are also more likely to be killed or injured in traffic crashes due to conditions like fragile bones, prescription medication use, visual impairments, and chronic medical issues that often accompany the aging process.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe on the roads is one of our top priorities,” said Mark J.F. Schroeder, commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles and chair of the governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. “Getting older does not mean you have to stop driving, but you do need to be aware of anything that might impact your safety and the safety of others and take action. We are happy to partner with the Office for the Aging to help raise awareness of this important topic.”

Caregivers are a vital set of eyes and ears as well as a trusted source for family conversations or interventions that can resolve unsafe driving situations. If you are a caregiver or a concerned family member, see NYSOFA’s guide Are You Concerned about an Older Driver? It offers background about safety risks, how to assess these risks, conversation starters for helping a loved one accept or cope with changes in their driving status, adaptive vehicle equipment, educational resources, and more.

Other resources

In 2015, NYSOFA and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee launched the Safe Driving Tips for Older New Yorkers website — at https://www.ny.gov/programs/safe-driving-tips-older-new-yorkers — to promote older driver safety. The site encourages online and in-person safety training and car safety check programs; provides information to help older drivers understand options for roadway safety; and offers a user-friendly guide about preventing adverse drug interactions that can affect one’s ability to drive.

Offices for the Aging and their community partners are also a resource to help older drivers, including safety assistance or alternative transportation options. To reach local assistance, call the NY Connects helpline at 1-800-342-9871; or use the online directory at http://www.nyconnects.ny.gov.

The Department of Motor Vehicles’ Older Driver Resources webpage, https://dmv.ny.gov/older-driver/older-driver-resources, also provides information about driving skills and programs, health tips, license FAQs, and vehicle safety tips.