Presentation by Kathryn Swanson WHCOA Listening Session

On behalf of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)January 8, 2005

GHSA: Who Are We, and Why Do We Care About Aging?

Non-profit association representing state highway safety agencies

Highway Safety Act of 1966

State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) focus on improving roadway safety by changing driver behavior

Goal: Reduce the number of fatal and serious injury crashes that happen each year

GHSA: Why Do We Care About Aging?

SHSOs conduct a wide array of traffic safety programs

Science-based, data-driven, problem identification

Address current problems (alcohol-impaired driving, lack of seat belt use, young drivers)

Focus on target populations (motorcyclists, child passenger safety)

Anticipate potential/emerging problem areas (road rage, older drivers)

Older Driver “Problem”Current status:

Number of older drivers in crashes is not as large as other target populations

Due to their frailty, the injuries older people receive in crashes tend to be more severe

Most older drivers set their own appropriate limits and curtail their driving if their skills diminish

Older Driver “Problem”Emerging issue:

Older people are driving longer

Number of older drivers will double over next thirty years

Different drivers age differently

“One size fits all” scheme (such as frequent testing after specific age) may not be appropriate

How can we craft good public policy for aging drivers that balances safety and mobility?

Effective CountermeasuresRoadway countermeasures

Better designed, larger signs; advanced warning signs

Re-engineered intersections

Enhanced lighting

Raised and reflective pavement markings

These countermeasures are in the domain of the roadway engineers and would improve roadway safety for all road users.

Effective CountermeasuresVehicle countermeasures

Better dashboard design

Enhanced seat belt design

More “pedestrian friendly” vehicle exteriors

These countermeasures are in the domain of vehicle design (auto manufacturers and NHTSA) and would improve safety for all road users.

Effective CountermeasuresDriver countermeasures

Re-testing?

Age limits for driving?

Public information campaigns?

Enforcement programs?

These countermeasures are in the domain of DMVs and SHSOs, but are untested and (sometimes) viewed as discriminatory.

Local Roles with Older Drivers

Meet mobility needs of all residents

Examine local crash data and respond appropriately

Encourage entire community to take responsibility for safe roads

State Roles with Older Drivers

DMVs play lead role at state level with testing and license renewal

SHSOs can play a supportive role

Crash data analysis

Program delivery

Federal Roles with Older Drivers

Evaluate existing programs

Mandatory physician reporting laws in five states (CA, DE, NJ, OR, and PA)

Medical Advisory Boards (MABs)

Restricted licenses

Older driver training programs

Federal Roles with Older Drivers

Identify and encourage best practices

Look at “medical fitness to drive” broadly

AMA guidelines for physicians

NHTSA law enforcement cues brochure

MABS

• Model guidelines and authorizing legislation

• Training for MAB members

Federal Roles with Older Drivers

Develop training programs and public information materials

NHTSA law enforcement cues brochures

Physician training programs

Model driver screening and evaluation program

Federal Roles with Older DriversInvestigate additional options

Graduated de-licensing Immunity for people who report older drivers

Public education materials that take stigma out of reporting family member

Encourage DMVs to allow restricted licenses; evaluate effectiveness of such licenses

Federal Roles with Older DriversInvestigate additional options (continued)

Vehicle adaptations for older drivers

Community referral services for counseling and identification of alternative transportation

Accelerate efforts to develop and test procedures for screening and assessing medical fitness to drive

Federal, State, Local CollaborationFederal government should conduct research, disseminate results to states, develop model laws and programs, identify and disseminate best practices, provide outreach to relevant national organizations

Federal government should work with state DMVs to set up appropriate systems at state level.

DMVs should set up systems to identify, evaluate, and provide remedial services for older drivers

Federal, State, Local CollaborationSHSOs should support DMVs with law enforcement training, strategic communications on older driver issues

SHSOs should encourage their local grantees to identify the role older drivers play in the local crash scene

Communities should be encouraged to form multi-disciplinary task forces to address older driver issues

What is the Role for WHCOA?

Safety and mobility: doesn’t have to be an “either/or” propositionFocus on the safe transportation of older personsFocus on safe roads for all road usersMake recommendations for federal, state, and local governments

For more information

www.ghsa.org (state law info.)

202-789-0942

bharsha@ghsa.org