AAA Michigan Offers First Home-Based Tool to Help Seniors Drive Safely Longer

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 12, 2005 -- Just as you would screen for high cholesterol or high blood pressure, AAA Michigan introduced today a first-of- its kind scientifically validated tool designed to help seniors screen for their driving health. And it can be done in the privacy of one's home. Roadwise Review: A Tool to Help Seniors Drive Safely Longer, is a CD-ROM that measures eight physical and mental abilities shown to be the strongest predictors of crash risk among older drivers and then provides feedback to guide the user's driving decisions.

AAA Michigan, through the auspices of the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging (OSA), will provide free copies of the Roadwise Review CD-ROM to senior services agencies throughout the state.

"As we age, we experience physiological changes which could affect our driving, but there are steps you can take to drive safely longer," said Richard J. Miller, manager of Community Safety Services for AAA Michigan. "Roadwise Review helps seniors recognize and address common problems that affect their driving ability."

People over 65 are the fastest-growing population in the United States and by 2020 there will be more than 40 million licensed drivers ages 65 and older. Because of their fragility, seniors have the highest crash death rate per mile of everyone except teenagers.

The computer-based screening program in Roadwise Review contains the most effective predictors of crash risk in eight functional areas as validated in research sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Institute on Aging. AAA worked closely with scientists at TransAnalytics, a leading transportation safety research organization, to create a tool that is both state-of-the-art and user-friendly.

"In our extensive focus group testing, senior drivers viewed the program as simple, clear, valuable and even fun to use," said Miller. "Many were especially enthusiastic about the potential to keep themselves and their loved ones safer and said they would follow through with the program recommendations."

Using videos and easy-to-follow instructions, Roadwise Review screens drivers in eight functional areas:

* Leg Strength and General Mobility - necessary to control acceleration and braking.

* Head/Neck Flexibility - essential in checking blind spots, lane changes or merging.

* High Contrast Visual Acuity - needed to identify pavement markings, as well as detect many types of hazards in or near the road.

* Low Contrast Visual Acuity - vital for low visibility conditions such as dusk, rain or fog.

* Working Memory - important in following directions, remembering traffic rules and regulations, and using information on highway guide signs.

* Visualization of Missing Information - helps a driver recognize hazards even when seeing only part of the picture.

* Visual Search - safe driving requires the ability to quickly find and recognize traffic signs and landmarks.

* Useful Field of View - ensures drivers can pay attention to what is happening right in front of them while also noticing safety threats at the edge of their field of view.

Roadwise uses an integrated data system that reports and provides users with confidential feedback about screening results and its CD-ROM format is compatible with most home computers.

"This type of screening is like a blood pressure test -- something you check periodically to stay healthy," said Miller. "We believe it is important to screen for your driving health just as you would your physical health."

Through its partnership with OSA, AAA is offering the program free at senior centers, area agencies on aging and councils and commissions on aging throughout the state. To find one of these agencies near you, visit http://www.miseniors.net/ . Click on "Search for Agencies" under the Resource Directory tab. The CD-ROM will also be offered for sale at a nominal price ($3 for AAA members and $5 for non-members) at AAA branch locations statewide. For a list of AAA branch locations, visit http://www.aaa.com/ .

The program can also be purchased by sending a check payable to AAA Michigan to:

                             Roadwise Review
                        Community Safety Services
                               AAA Michigan
                            1 Auto Club Drive
                            Dearborn, MI 48126