ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2015

13

CLASSES HELP OLDER DRIVERS

SHARPEN THEIR SKILLS
BY DEE-ANN DURBIN

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DETROIT Joe Minerva
has been driving since 1946.
Hes a skilled and disciplined
driver and hes never been in
an accident.
So Minerva was surprised
how much he learned when
he recently took his firstever driving class. During
the six-hour AARP course
at his local senior center, he
learned the places in his city
where the most accidents
occur. He was surprised to
find that he could be ticketed
for holding up traffic even
if he was driving the speed
limit. And he was fascinated
by the new auto safety
technology the instructor
described.
I couldnt believe what I
didnt know, said Minerva,
86, a retired machinist from
Huntington, New York. I
think that young drivers
should be required to take
that course.
Americans are living
and driving longer than
they used to. There are more
than 36 million licensed
drivers over age 65 in the
U.S., up 34 percent from 1999,
according to government
data. By 2030, as the baby
boom generation ages, 70
million Americans will be
over 65, and the vast majority
of them will have drivers
licenses.
Older drivers are less
likely than other age groups
to be involved in fatal
crashes, partly because they
drive fewer miles. But when
they do crash, theyre more
likely to die because their
bodies are more susceptible
to injury. The Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety
says drivers 70 and older are
3.2 times more likely to die
in a crash than drivers ages
35-54.
Aging-related physical
and mental changes can
also hamper older drivers,
especially during tricky

maneuvers like merging onto

a highway. Multiple-vehicle
crashes at intersections
accounted for 40 percent of
fatal crashes for drivers 80
and older in 2013, but only
19 percent for drivers ages

It helps them remain

healthy, independent and
confident on the road, said
Kyle Rakow, AARPs director
of driver safety. Rakow said
many participants say the
classes made them change at

drop by $1,800 over a threeyear period as a result of his

course.
But some say more is
needed. Susan Cohen, who
founded Americans for
Older Driver Safety after her

give safety information to

older drivers, and help them
connect with resources, like
occupational therapists who
are trained to help drivers.
Some of Cohens tips for
older drivers:

PLAN YOUR TRAVEL:

Think about your routes

and avoid situations that are
uncomfortable, like driving
at night or in snow, merging
onto a highway or making a
left turn.

EXPLORE NEW
TECHNOLOGIES:

Many new cars have safety

aids, including backup
cameras, blind-spot monitors
and automatic braking to
avoid collisions. But older
cars can also be fitted with
safety technology. Mobileye,
for example, makes a camera
that you can attach to your
windshield and it warns you
if you speed, get too close to
the car in front or drift out
of your lane. The system
costs around $800. There are
also devices to make driving
more comfortable, like larger
rear-view mirrors.

UNDERSTAND
THE RISKS:

Learn how aging can affect

the body and the brain, and
how medications can affect
your ability to drive. The
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration
explains the impact of
various ailments on driving,
including stroke and
arthritis: http://www.nhtsa.
gov/Senior-Drivers .

PLAN A DRIVING
RETIREMENT:

16-59, the institute said.

Driving safety classes can
help. AARPs classes, which
have been taught since 1979,
reach more than 500,000
people each year. Theyre
available both online and in
person, and they cost around
$15 for AARP members.

least one driving behavior,

like avoiding night driving
or bad weather.
Thirty-four states and
the District of Columbia
offer insurance discounts
for seniors who take the
in-person classes. Minerva
said his insurance bill will

20-year-old son was struck

and killed by an 83-yearold driver, is developing
brochures that could be
passed out at senior centers,
libraries and other places
so that seniors dont have
to take a class at all. She
also wants physicians to

DEVELOP GOOD HABITS:

Driving is habitual, so
the more good habits you
have, the more theyre
likely to stick with you. Use
turn signals, stay a certain
distance from the car in front
of you and constantly scan
the road.

Americans are outliving

their ability to drive safely
by an average of seven to 10
years, according to AAA.
Cohen suggests planning a
driving retirement. Learn
how to spend a day or two
not driving your car, and
consider other ways to get
you where you need to go.
Think about where you want
to live if you can no longer
drive.

WINTERIZING VEHICLES AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR DRIVERS

As fall gradually gives way to
winter, vehicle owners often sigh
at the thought of driving in winter
weather or spending weekday
mornings clearing their vehicles of
ice before heading to the office. But
manning the wheel through another
snowstorm or whittling away another
nights worth of ice from a cars
windshield are not the only rites of
passage motorists must endure as cold
weather returns.
Winterizing a vehicle can improve
vehicle performance during a time
of year that, in many locales, can
be especially harsh on automobiles.
Low temperatures make for less than
ideal conditions for engines to run,
while potholes left behind by snow
plows can damage a vehicles wheels
and may even result in flat tires and
a damaged suspension system. In
addition, salt used to improve traction
on roadways can cause rust. Short of
moving to a locale with mild winters,
theres little drivers can do to protect
their vehicles from harsh winter
weather. But winterizing a vehicle
can prevent some of the more common
issues drivers may encounter when
the temperatures dip below freezing.
Take time out for your tires. Winter
weather can limit traction, putting the
safety of drivers and their passengers
in jeopardy. When possible, avoid
driving in the snow, and steer clear
of roads where ice and black ice are
known to form.
While such measures can greatly
reduce your risk of being in an
accident, you likely cant avoid
driving entirely come the winter.
Drivers who want improved traction
from their tires throughout the
winter can purchase winter tires for
their vehicles. Such tires can more
effectively handle roads that are
covered in snow and ice than allseason tires. Another way to improve
traction during the winter months is
to constantly monitor tire pressure,
which decreases more rapidly when
the weather is cold. Properly inflated
tires provide better traction and
protect against damage that may
occur when driving over potholes.
Consider a low-viscosity oil in
the winter. The owners manual of
your vehicle may recommend you

use a lower viscosity motor oil to

counter the dip in temperature thats
synonymous with winter. When the
temperatures outside fall, the oil
inside your vehicle thickens, and a
thicker oil wont circulate through the
engine as well. This can cause engine
problems because the engine wont be
adequately lubricated. A low-viscosity
oil is naturally thinner, so it may
improve lubrication throughout the
winter. The vehicle owners manual
should recommend oils based on
climate. If not, talk to your mechanic
about changing from the oil you use
throughout the year to a low-viscosity
alternative during the winter.
Inspect your vehicle before winter
arrives. No one wants to be out on
the road during the first snowstorm
of the year only to discover certain
components are not working properly.
Belts and hoses, while durable, can
be put through strenuous conditions

during the winter months, so a close

inspection of belts and hoses should
be conducted in late fall. In addition,
windshield wipers are especially
important in winter, when snowfall
can drastically impact visibility. You
will want your wipers working at
full capacity once the winter begins,
so replace older wipers (shelf life for
standard wipers is typically one year)
and use a de-icing windshield washer
fluid to maximize visibility.
Another component that must be
inspected is your cars battery. Many
drivers have experienced a dead
battery, which, in warm weather,
is more of a nuisance than a health
concern. In cold weather, a dead
battery can threaten your health if
you find yourself stranded in cold
weather. Especially low temperatures
can compromise a batterys power by
as much as 50 percent, so have your
battery inspected in late fall and

replace it if need be.

Dont be caught off guard. Part
of winterizing a vehicle is being
prepared if the vehicle breaks down.
Make sure you have extra washer
fluid in your vehicles trunk, and
dont forget to include an ice scraper,
snow brush or even a snow shovel in
the trunk as well. A snow shovel may
be necessary if you need to dig your
car out if its been buried somewhere
other than your driveway. Other
items to carry in your trunk include a
blanket, a change of clothes, an extra
hat, an extra pair of gloves, some
nonperishable food, and a few bottles
of water.
Winter can be especially harsh on
automobiles. But drivers can take
several preventive steps to ensure
their vehicle is safe and sound on the
roads this winter.

Keeping tools like a snow brush or ice scraper in the trunk of a vehicle is one way to ready a car for the winter months ahead.