Mature drivers get a refresher course to stay safe behind the wheel

WINNIPEG — There weren’t many safety features in Le-Ann Blase’s car when she started driving in 1960.

“Things have changed so much over the years,” said Blase. “It’s important to be aware.”

So to learn how to use her vehicle the safest way, she signed up for CarFit.

For the first time in Manitoba, CAA and the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) put on a CarFit event to help senior drivers stay safe behind the wheel.

The event started in the United States about 10 years ago and has recently spread to a few Canadian provinces.

“We are trying to enable people to be behind the wheel as long as possible,” said Nick Mccarthy of CAOT. “Mobility is a right.”

About 30 mature drivers maneuvered a parking lot full of pylons and stopped stations where their mobility was assessed.

Steering wheel positioning, gas pedal reach, blinkers and mirror optimization were evaluated by CAA.

“A lot can change from the last time you took your driver’s ed course,” said Angèle Young of CAA Manitoba. “There are a lot of new technologies in your vehicle and if you don’t know what they are it can be hard to get adjusted to them.”