‘Driving Safely for Longer‘
Monday 1st October to Friday 5th October 2018
There are currently just over 5.1 million people in the UK aged 70 and over driving on our roads and the expectation is that this will double if not treble in the next 20 years as we all live longer. The oldest person who holds a driving licence is a male aged 107 years. Hampshire is shown as having the highest number of older drivers outside London.
We know that older motorists have a wealth of experience, confidence and tolerance. However, sight, hearing, reaction time and judgement of speed and distance may not be as sharp as it once was.
Fragility increases with age, so injuries tend to be more serious and recovery takes much longer. Casualty rates do increase for car drivers aged over about 65, and the fatality rate increases significantly.
That’s where we come in. The Older Drivers Forum is about keeping mature motorists on the road safely for longer. Whether that’s helping giving you practical and informative help and support to continue driving or pointing you in the right direction for an assessment to identify your driving needs – from wing mirror adapters to an elevated driving seat – we’re here to help.
We’re a not-for-profit group made up of experts in road safety from across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight – from representatives from the emergency services, to charities, local authorities and businesses specialising in keeping older people on the road.
If you know an older driver, have contact with them regularly in your job or are perhaps just concerned for a friend or relative who is still driving then the Older Driver Forum may be able to help. Please visit their website www.olderdriversforum.com for more information.
From Monday 1st October to Friday 5th October 2018, and in support of Older Peoples Day (Oct 1st), the forum is holding an Older Driver Awareness Week offering advice and tips that will help older drivers continue to drive safely or help them to decide when to stop.
The local event will be held on Tuesday, October 2nd at Haskins Garden Centre, West End, Southampton
The event is free to attend and open between 9.30am to 3pm, no appointment is required and people can pop in anytime during these hours. The events are aimed at anyone with an interest, from older drivers themselves, to friends and relatives.
Advice will be available on:
- brushing up your skills
- booking a driving assessment
- arranging a regular eyesight test
- getting advice on health and wellbeing issues that could affect driving ability
- renewing your licence at 70
- learning about road safety and consequences of not being fit to drive
- discover alternatives to being independent without a car
Safety is the top priority; it should be the most important thing older drivers consider when there is concern over driving ability. The best advice is don’t become complacent and wait for an accident or a near miss to convince a driver to stop, instead seek advice, support and help.
Let’s help Older Drivers to carry on Driving Safely for Longer
