Older drivers getting CarFit by MPD

Published 8:00 am Monday, August 11, 2014

By From staff reports
The Union-Recorder

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To help the 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day and all senior drivers find a better “fit” with their cars for comfort and safety, mobility technicians are hosting a safety program designed to help older drivers and their families.

The Milledgeville Police Department, in association with AAA and AARP, will hold a CarFit checkup event from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday. The event will be held at The Cottages at Woodland Terrace, 1010 Fernwood Drive in Milledgeville. The Cottages is located behind the Big Lots shopping center.

CarFit is national program developed by AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association and is designed to give a quick, yet comprehensive check on how well older drivers and their vehicles work together.  

At a CarFit event, trained volunteers complete a 12-point checklist with each driver.

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Among the items checked:

• Correct position of driver’s seat;

• Driver’s ability to easily reach pedals;

• Proper adjustment of mirrors.

As people age, changes in vision, flexibility, strength, range of motion and even size and height may make individuals less comfortable and reduce control behind the wheel. CarFit provides older adults with the tools to understand and apply the safety features of their cars.

“It is critically important that mature drivers make safety a personal priority,” said Sgt. Thomas Smith of MPD. “Driving today is more difficult because of increased traffic congestion, longer commute distances, new technology and faster speeds. Older drivers can take important measures to lessen the stress associated with driving. To my knowledge nothing like this has been done here in Milledgeville before, and we think that this will be a good thing for the more mature drivers who live and commute not only in the city, but in Baldwin County as a whole.”

Email Smith at tsmith@milledgevillepd.com or call Officer Raymond Borders at 478-414-4090 for more CarFit information. Call 478-414-4005 for event appointments.

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