SACRAMENTO,
Calif. – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) joins the American Occupational
Therapy Association (AOTA) in recognizing December 6-10, 2021, as Older Driver
Safety Awareness Week.
The CHP is
reminding the most experienced drivers on California’s roadways that officers
are here to help keep them safe behind the wheel.
According
to the AOTA, “We all experience physical and mental changes as we get older,
even though they may be so gradual we barely notice them. Yet common changes like slower reaction time,
night blindness, and pain and stiffness can have a big effect on our driving
skills.”
Last year,
there were more than 3,500 fatal crashes in California. Preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide
Integrated Traffic Records System indicates drivers aged 65 and older were
involved in more than 13 percent of the fatal crashes in California in 2020.
“Decisions
about an individual’s ability to drive should never be based on age alone,” CHP
Commissioner Amanda Ray said. “Since driving
is a complex task that requires critical skills, self-evaluation of those
skills is the key to remaining a safe driver as long as possible.”
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