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Club Now Offers Home-Based Tool Geared Toward Helping Seniors Drive Safely Longer

Indianapolis, Ind. – Jan. 12, 2005… AAA introduced today a first-of-its kind scientifically validated tool designed to help seniors screen for their driving health, much like they would screen for high cholesterol or high blood pressure. This screening can be done in the privacy of an individual’s home, however.

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. It then provides feedback to guide the user’s driving decisions.

The tool is currently available for purchase through all AAA Hoosier Motor Club branch offices.

“As we age, we experience physiological changes that can affect our driving. But there are certainly steps that can be taken to help us continue driving safely longer,” said Greg Seiter, public affairs manager for AAA Hoosier Motor Club. “Roadwise 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 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 extensive focus group testing, senior drivers viewed the program as simple, clear, valuable and even fun to use,” Seiter said. “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 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 Visual Acuity – vital for driving in 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. 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 keep yourself healthy,” Seiter said. “We believe it is important to screen for your driving health just as you would your physical health.” 

To request a copy of Roadwise Review, visit your nearest AAA Hoosier Motor Club branch office or contact the Club’s Public Affairs Department at 317-923-1500 ext. 380. The cost for the program is $10.00 for AAA members and $13.00 for non-members.

AAA
 

AAA Hoosier Motor Club is a fully tax-paying, not-for-profit corporation offering a wide range of member services, and works for the improvement of motoring and traveling conditions. AAA Hoosier Motor Club is a 395,000-member affiliate of the American Automobile Association, which is the largest motoring and traveling organization in the world with some 47 million members.

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