Fact or myth? Do older drivers cause more accidents?

OAKLAND, Calif., June 6 -- ... Fact or myth? Do older drivers cause more accidents than younger drivers? This can be a sore subject, depending on your age. Equally controversial is the question of whether people should have to stop driving at a certain age. These and other older driver issues are featured in a 36-minute DVD, "Mobility Matters for Older Drivers," produced and released by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). The DVD is available to the public free of charge and also can be viewed on the MTC Web site (http://www.mtc.ca.gov/).

As the Bay Area's population ages, and more senior drivers are on the road, questions concerning their continued driving abilities and alternatives to driving become more critical.

"The number of Bay Area residents 65 and older is expected to increase 84 percent between 2000 and 2020," notes MTC Commissioner Adrienne Tissier, "and the number of people age 85 or older in the region will grow by 108 percent. I hope this video makes people start thinking about how older people can stay mobile and not lose their quality of life if they can no longer drive."

Topics covered in the video include "myths and facts" about older drivers; what happens when a driver is referred to the DMV; a free service that helps seniors "fit" their cars; new, more visible roadway signage; and how families should discuss "giving up the car keys" with older family members. It features experts from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, California State Automobile Association, Caltrans, the American Association of Retired Persons, and more, plus an introduction by former State Senator Quentin Kopp.

The video is based on a Regional Summit on Older Drivers, sponsored by MTC and SamTrans.

To order a free copy of the DVD, email library@mtc.ca.gov or call 510.817.5836. MTC is the regional transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.