Auto Club Says Aging Baby Boomers Need Help Staying Safe on the Road
--WHO: The Automobile Club of Southern California and the California Highway Patrol. WHAT: The announcement of the Auto Club's Senior Driver initiative to keep aging baby boomers and other seniors safe on the road. Demonstration of safety techniques senior drivers can use. New vehicles with "senior safety features" available to drive. Seniors who can talk about how they drive safely. Road course that reporters and seniors can drive while discussing senior driver issues. WHEN: Wednesday, May 7, 10 a.m. WHERE: Dodger Stadium parking lots 27-29 WHY: Senior citizens are a growing segment of our population. In 1985 they represented 10 percent of all Californians. By 2025, with baby boomers retiring, it's estimated that people over 65 will make up 17 percent of our population ... some 8.7 million people. Senior citizens are some of the safest drivers on the road. But after age 70, there is a slight upturn in crash rates. Above age 80, because of physical frailty, crashes are more likely to cause injury and death. The Auto Club is committed to both keeping seniors on the road safely and increasing alternative transportation options for them. NOTE TO EDITORS: Please enter Dodger Stadium from the Elysian Park Avenue entrance and inform the guard you are attending the Auto Club event.