The California Department of Transportation's Office of Traffic Safety teamed with the Automobile Club of Southern California to fund the development of a strategic plan for promoting and improving traffic safety for older residents. It is aimed first at reducing death and injuries from motor vehicle crashes for this group. It is administered by San Diego State University's Center for Injury Prevention Policy and Practice. The Center convened a California Task for on Older Adults and Traffic Safety to develop a policy framework at the state level and make recommendations for programs. It is a multi- disciplinary group that produced a list of recommendations at an Office of Traffic Safety Summit in May 2002. Among the areas of action identified are adapting driver assessment and licensing procedures; improve the ability of health care providers to assess traffic safety risks and to minimize the impact of health impairments on safe mobility; and research safer roadway and vehicle designs and enhance the knowledge base about the issues.
Abstract