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PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In Florida, the number
of licensed motor vehicle drivers over 60 years old has increased dramatically
during the past decade. For example, in 1998, there were 3,060,578 licensed
drivers aged 60 or older, compared with 2,990,685 in 1997. In 1998,
Pinellas and Pasco Counties reported 387,491 residents 60 years old
and older, 313,494 of whom were licensed Florida motorists. During this
same year, in the two counties, 83 older adult drivers were killed and
4,053 were injured in motor vehicle crashes.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Getting
In Gear project was to reduce motor vehicle crash-related injuries
and fatalities suffered by drivers age 60 and older. This goal was to
be accomplished through the following objectives:
- Designing an intervention
program for motor vehicle operators 60-years-old and older
- Developing a series of
activities to assess aging drivers
- Promoting existing safety
programs to older adult drivers
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In 1995,
the Tampa Bay Area Agency on Aging, serving Pasco and Pinellas Counties,
created the Getting In Gear older adult driver intervention program.
The program was designed by professional researchers who were experienced
in creating programs with a philosophy and mission that would demonstrate
sensitivity to the unique needs of the older adult driver. The new program
was publicized through various media as a public health message to help
senior citizens remain safe as long as possible. Program activities
were designed to be easily accessible to older adults, and to be scheduled
in the same manner as their annual physical health screening. The following
activities comprise the core of Getting In Gear:
- The Gross
Impairment Screening (GRIMPS) instrument is a tool to provide a first
tier screening of seniors who have self-disclosed driving issues.
The GRIMPS instrument is a series of tests that assess physical and
cognitive abilities
- Using a
portable computer with a touch screen and printer, a test can be administered
to determine the "useful field of view" of an older adult driver.
Drivers with a poor useful field of view are 2.2 times more likely
to be involved in a traffic crash within three years. However, with
proper visual training techniques, the senior driver can improve their
useful field of view and lower their risk of involvement in a crash
- The Area
Agency on Aging launched a defensive driving course for senior drivers.
The Agency used the curriculum of the National Safety Council's Coaching
the Mature Driver course. Graduates of the course were eligible
to receive a discount of up to 10 percent on their automobile insurance
premium
- Each older
adult driver who participates in the voluntary Getting In Gear
program is offered case management services. These services include
counseling, rehabilitation services, referral to alternative housing
options, access to memory clinics, medical care, occupational therapy
and adaptive equipment use
- Mobility
Management is a service that helps the older adult driver assess whether
to reduce or stop driving. The service helps the driver analyze the
cost of continuing to operate a motor vehicle and assists in establishing
other modes of transportation
- The Getting
In Gear program engendered the Florida Aging Driver Council (FADC),
a planning and education group focusing on safe mobility for Florida
senior
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