REGINA – A new CAA Saskatchewan website is aiming to help senior drivers stay safe behind the wheel.
“The incentive is for them to say, ‘As a driver, I have a responsibility to say, ‘How are my driving skills?,'” said CAA Saskatchewan’s Christine Niemczyk. “It’s a privilege to drive.”
The interactive and multimedia-filled website, launched earlier this month, offers self-assessments on driving, and information on how age can affect the ride.
Age brings experience, but it can also pose new challenges on the road. That’s why Betty Crossman took the Saskatchewan Safety Council’s Alive 55 course, sponsored by CAA and SGI.
“Everybody keeps saying, my kids in particular, ‘You think you should be driving, mom? You think you should be driving, mom?’ So, that’s why I’m here,” she said.
The 82-year-old was one of about ten people who took the six-hour course Monday.
The decades-old course helps senior drivers reassess their skills, and refresh their driving knowledge.
“At what point do we say enough is enough, and maybe at some point, we need to consider when it’s a good time to hang up our keys,” said instructor Lee Carlson, listing the topics discussed in the free course.
While the number of deaths haven’t gone up, collisions and resulting injuries involving drivers over 70 years old have increased recently in the province, from 1814 total collisions in 2008, to 2109 to 2012.
Other provinces have mandatory programs for older drivers, but Saskatchewan drivers only get put into programs, such as Alive 55, if they arise the attention of SGI by, for example, a concerned doctor, or getting into a high number of collisions.
“It really depends on your driving ability and how you feel about your own ability to be on the road,” said SGI traffic safety promotion manager Shannon Ell.
Whether it’s online or in the classroom, Crossman sees the value of a refresher.
“Anything you can learn at any age is good for you,” she said.
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