Getting Around: A Resource for Seniors, A Model for Communities

The need to prepare for the future often comes sooner than we might think. And with baby boomers turning the corner to retirement, the transition to non-driving, although seemingly distant, should not be underestimated by families. It is estimated that by 2025, the baby boomer population will balloon to 72 million, comprising the fastest-growing segment of the population — the 85 and older bracket. With that statistic on the horizon, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety decided that there was no better time to take action.

In advance, the AAA Foundation recognized the depth of the issue of increased elderly drivers. As one of four long-term focus areas, Senior Safety and Mobility became a foremost topic of importance, resulting in a series of published studies and continued research. The AAA Foundation even established Web sites to aid older drivers and their families, as well as initiating research reports focusing on signal timing for older pedestrians and programs dedicated to enhancing senior driving.

Although seniors are involved in fewer crashes than younger drivers, their fatal crash rates tally higher, especially after age 75. Due to increased physical fragility, coupled with declining cognitive abilities, aging drivers can be unknowingly and rapidly affected and thus potentially unable to perform as safely on the road. Nevertheless, all drivers are different, which is why specific, individualized mobility practices are an important thing for which families should plan.

Recognizing that at some point almost all drivers will have to give up the keys, the AAA Foundation partnered with the Center for Healthy Aging to pilot a program that sought to determine if local community organizations could work together to provide aging drivers with guidance about this transition and help them better plan their mobility options. The project, Getting Around: Alternatives for Seniors Who No Longer Drive, had two main goals: developing a transportation support network and launching a multi-media public education campaign. To spread the word, the group collaborated to produce a Web site www.getting-around.org as well as a DVD, which has become so noteworthy that it is currently airing on PBS stations across the nation.

The DVD, Getting Around, which is hosted by Jerry Mathers ("The Beaver" from the iconic television series Leave It to Beaver), showcases innovative programs across the country related to senior safety and mobility options, including AAA’s Roadwise Review screening tool. The video is available for viewing online at www.aaafoundation.org, and the actual DVD can be purchased by contacting 1-800-305-SAFE.

In conjunction with efforts to enhance senior safety and mobility, the AAA Foundation also refreshed www.seniordrivers.org, a Web site for general senior safety, featuring links to updated research, quizzes, travel tips, and news. The site also includes video clips, as all AAA Foundation videos can be viewed online for free.