The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) and the Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD) join the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to promote Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, Dec. 5–9, by informing the public about the importance of supporting senior adult mobility. Collectively, the THSO, the TCAD, and the AOTA want to inform aging drivers and their families that strategies exist to help address concerns related to safe mobility and transportation.
In 2016, there have been 209 fatalities reported involving a senior driver in Tennessee. This time last year, that number was 192. The THSO encourages Tennesseans to seek the necessary assistance, resources, and educational materials offered by the THSO, the TCAD, the AOTA, and other senior safety advocates to help reduce senior driver crashes, injuries, and fatalities. The THSO offers senior driver safety resources at www.tntrafficsafety.org/seniors.
According to the TCAD, more than 1.5 million Tennesseans are now age 60 or older. By 2030, Tennessee’s senior population is projected to increase to 2.1 million. Therefore, it is imperative to educate Tennesseans on safe mobility and alternative modes of transportation. The TCAD offers information about transportation services for senior adults. Learn more by contacting a local Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD) at 1-866-836-6678 orhttp://www.tn.gov/aging/article/aaad-map1.
To promote Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, the AOTA is using hashtag #ODSAW16 on social media. The AOTA offers resources and educational materials like daily podcasts and the following tip sheets: Keeping Older Drivers Safe and Driving Safely As You Age. For more information about the AOTA and Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, visit www.aota.org/Conference-Events/Older-Driver-Safety-Awareness-Week.aspx.