Yes, I have lost
some of my physical and mental capabilities, but I know there are ways
to help compensate for some of the changes we all experience as we grow
older. The topics in this series will offer information, anecdotes, and
safety tips to mature drivers. My hope is that, through sharing, we
will all benefit and learn better ways to enhance our safety on the
streets and highways. Cars, highways, and traffic have changed since
my first drive. Major safety improvements have been made in the last
forty years even as the number of cars and drivers on the road has
increased four-fold. While it is true that the focus on the "aging of
the baby boomers" has helped to shed light on the issues confronting
older drivers, there is still much to learn. Most traffic engineers,
highway designers, and law makers now realize that we are a large and
growing population on the road. I invite you to share your
experiences and explore with me the ways in which we may drive
with safety until we decide to "hang up the keys." FLETCH SAFETY TIP #1
Talking
with Fletch about Highway Safety
Let me
tell you something about myself. I took my first driving test in 1933
and have been a driver ever since. Although I have been a pilot and
flying instructor, most of my transporting and teaching time has been
spent behind the wheel of a car. My life's work has been varied and
interesting, and for forty years, the career path I chose involved me
substantially in highway and driving safety. Now that I am one of the
millions of senior drivers in the United States, I, like many others,
wonder if I will recognize when my driving ability is becoming unsafe
for me, my passengers, and others on the road. Fletch Safety Tip #1:
Stay involved and informed. Read up on driving safety.
Talk with your friends and your doctor about your aging concerns. Look
for news on road work and safety improvements which are under way in
your area---or which should be!!!
Return to Fletch's Safety Tips
If you have a tip, please e-mail it to mail@talkingroads.org.