Senior Citizens Learn Valuable Skills at Safety Challenge

 

SONOMA, Calif. March 23, 2004; Seventy senior citizens from around
Northern California were treated Tuesday to a half-day course at
Infineon Raceway designed to help assess their driving skills, as well
as provide valuable tools when driving on the roadways.

 

The raceway hosted the first AAA Senior Safety Challenge, which
attracted seniors from Pleasanton, Novato, Sonoma, Alameda, Napa, Santa
Rosa, Fairfield, Sacramento, and other areas. The seniors received free
hands-on training from instructors from the Jim Russell Racing Drivers
School, AAA traffic safety experts and occupational therapists from the
Bay Area and Southern California.

 

People over 65 are the fastest-growing segment of the population in the
United States, and by 2020, there will be more than 40 million licensed
drivers age 65 and older.  That being said, senior crash fatality rates
have climbed while overall fatality rates for all ages combined have
remained stable since 1991. It made the AAA-sponsored program on Tuesday
a great vehicle for seniors.

 

Instructors worked with the seniors at three different driving stations:
backing up, accident avoidance and lane change. Occupational therapists,
meanwhile, assessed flexibility and also provided seniors with tools
they could use when behind the wheel.

 

"The people did well today and we're hoping we gave them some tools that
will help them become even safer drivers," said Steve Molinari, an
occupational therapist from John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.
"They seemed pretty in touch with their skills."

 

The seniors, who ranged in age from 65-87 years old, were pleased with
the program.

 

"I thought this was very beneficial," said Gretchen Berendt, an
83-year-old from Pleasanton. "They impressed upon us that we, as
seniors, need to be very alert to what's going on around us. We also
need to drive defensively, but not be afraid."

 

Added Napa's Ann Fink, 71: "I learned my reactions are slower than I
thought they were. This day taught me quite a bit."

 

AAA, which partnered with Infineon Raceway and the Jim Russell Racing
Drivers School on the program, was pleased with the results.

 

"The day was rewarding for everyone. I hope we were able to share some
great information with the seniors and give them some solutions that
they can use when they get behind the wheel," said Merry Banks, manager
of community and safety services at AAA.