CarFit program helps senior drivers stay safe

Senior drivers in the Halifax region got a chance to meet with occupational therapists in Dartmouth Friday.

CarFit is an educational program that helps drivers make adjustments to their vehicles and improve comfort and safety. It’s a chance for older adults to check how well their cars ‘fit’ them.

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

The educational program is a partnership between the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) and the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). The free event is one of many held across the county.

Tobi Flewwelling, an occupational therapist at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre, is part of their Driver Evaluation program. She helped out with the event in Dartmouth and says they do a thorough evaluation.

“We have a 12-step checklist that looks at anything from their view position, position of their seat, how well they can reach their steering wheel, their gas pedal, as well as the function of their car. So are they able to turn their high-beams on, is their horn working, is their emergency brake working,” said Flewwelling.

Anne Barnes was one of several people who stopped by the event today.  As an older driver who suffers from Meniere’s disease, Barnes says she thinks the event was a great reminder of how to stay safe on the roads, especially for people with limitations.

“I don’t drive on days that I’m feeling bad, obviously. I only drive during the day mostly, during good weather and very short distances, that’s why it’s good to have every advantage possible to make sure that I’m focused,” said Barnes.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I don't drive on days that I'm feeling bad, obviously. I only drive during the day mostly, during good weather and very short distances, that's why it's good to have every advantage possible to make sure that I'm focused," said Barnes.

She also says she never took driver education training.

“Just a few weeks after I turned 16, my sister had taken me out driving a few times and I’d just been learning. I didn’t have any real training, I’ve just been learning on the fly and I realized I didn’t learn things properly,” said Barnes.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Just a few weeks after I turned 16, my sister had taken me out driving a few times and I'd just been learning. I didn't have any real training, I've just been learning on the fly and I realized I didn't learn things properly," said Barnes.

Barnes says she came to CarFit to ensure she was doing everything correctly. After going through the evaluation, she learned her mirrors needed to be adjusted to avoid a large blind spot. She was also told she was sitting too close to the steering wheel.

READ MORE: New website aims to help senior drivers stay safe

“I realized I didn’t know where the hazard lights were because I hadn’t used them on this car yet,” said Barnes.

Flewwelling says older drivers are more likely to get into minor accidents, and they’re more likely to sustain greater injuries.

“We’re getting people better fit into their cars so their car is more comfortable. It’s allowing them to drive better, increasing their driving performance, and if they were to get into a crash it would significantly decrease any injuries that they may have in any small crash,” said Flewwelling.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We're getting people better fit into their cars so their car is more comfortable. It's allowing them to drive better, increasing their driving performance, and if they were to get into a crash it would significantly decrease any injuries that they may have in any small crash," said Flewwelling.

Friday’s event was one of many that will take place across the country.