The population of senior drivers is at its highest levels ever and the numbers are going to increase substantially in the next few years. Collision statistics show that while the number of elderly driver crashes is relatively low, as a road user group they are over represented in fatal and serious injury collisions. It is crucial to ensure the senior drivers' safety while maintaining a high level of mobility and independence for this very important segment of the population. The paper looks at the programs of the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) and the recent changes that were implemented to better accommodate the senior driver population. The over eighty age group has been one of the fastest growing groups amongst the Ontario driving population during the past decade. Drivers aged eighty and over have a collision risk that is substantially higher than drivers aged 70 to 79. The MTO program addresses the needs of the driver population over eighty. It ensures that the vision and knowledge requirements for licensure are met and provides information on age-related performance deficits and compensatory strategies. Another benefit of the program is the identification and road-testing of drivers who may be at risk. In addition to passing the vision and knowledge test, drivers over eighty have to attend a ninety minute group session every two years which focuses on age-related driving problems and strategies for risk reduction. This new approach provides a reasonable, research-based alternative and remains one of the most effective and stringent senior driver programs in North America.
Samenvatting