Auto Club: Seniors Getting 'Fit' to Drive Safely
--WHO: The Automobile Club of Southern California, the Santa Monica Police Department and the Center for Healthy Aging WHAT: News conference and demonstration of the new, potentially lifesaving "CarFit" method that helps make senior citizens safe behind the wheel. Trained technicians and occupational therapists will lead seniors through a 12-point checklist with their vehicle and recommend car adjustments to make their cars "fit" better and enhance their safety. WHEN: Wednesday, June 15, 2005, 10 a.m. WHERE: Santa Monica Pier parking lot 1-North, adjacent to the pier. WHY: People over 65 are one of the fastest-rowing populations in California. Within 20 years, seniors will make up 17 percent of the state's population, 6.5 million drivers. As a group, seniors are the safest drivers, but in later years, because of their physical frailty, seniors have the highest crash death rate per mile of everyone except teenagers. ss.