Is your loved one experiencing diminished driving skills? Are they becoming lost in familiar places, bumping into curbs, mailboxes or scraping the sides of the garage when they back out? Have they been involved in a minor parking lot fender-bender or do they complain about being honked at?
According to Matt Gurwell, Founder and CEO of Keeping Us Safe, the most important thing to remember is that the time to start addressing your concerns is now, before "concerns" turn into "tragedies".
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that although older drivers tend to travel fewer miles than younger drivers, the "per mile traveled" crash rates start increasing for drivers 70 and older and increase markedly after age 80.
People age at different rates and some 75 year olds are more alert than other 60 year olds, however there may come a point in any senior’s life when it's time to restrict their driving, or retire from driving altogether.
Giving up driving has emotional, logistical and physical consequences. Seniors who don't drive tend to feel more isolated and depressed than their peers. In addition, studies suggest that seniors who stop driving end up in assisted living facilities sooner than those who still drive. Thus, helping seniors make this important decision means enlisting the full support of their caregivers and family members. The decision to stop driving shouldn't be rushed - but neither should it be delayed.
Matt Gurwell recently released a workbook titled:
"Beyond Driving with Dignity; The workbook for families of older drivers"
In the workbook, he provides families (or professionals working with seniors) with a "roadmap to success" in their quest to overcome the challenges of an older driver's safety.
The workbook is very user-friendly and was developed to offer concerned families a working roadmap (complete with actual exercises) on how to address the issue of driving safety with an older adult in the family.
The workbook has been designed to offer additional peace of mind to families, help older drivers maintain their independence and dignity, and at the same time help prevent unnecessary deaths and injuries on our nation's roadways.
To learn more about Keeping Us Safe, please visit www.keepingussafe.org or contact Mr. Gurwell toll-free at 877-907-8841.
Matt Gurwell is the founder & CEO of Keeping Us Safe, LLC and currently lectures throughout the United States on topics related to the aging process and its adverse affects on driving skills.
As founder and CEO of Keeping Us Safe, Matt’s mission is to provide strategies and guidance to seniors that will help them to continue driving safely until the decision is made to retire from their driving career. He also provides an excellent array of services and resources for both families and professionals as they deal with this very sensitive issue.
Matt retired from a very distinguished and successful 24-year career as an Assistant District Commander with the Ohio State Highway Patrol in the spring of 2005. After leaving the Patrol, Matt has participated in a tremendous amount of work in the area of older driver research, best practices, current vehicle safety technologies, and adaptive equipment.
Matt's creative, innovative and common sense approach, combined with his uncanny ability to bring calm and resolve to stressful situations without ever jeopardizing the dignity of others, has contributed greatly to the success of Keeping Us Safe's programs.
When asked what the ultimate motivation was for starting Keeping Us Safe, Matt explains:
"There was never one particular event. It was the result of 20-plus years of holding dying people in my arms at terrible car accidents, and delivering dozens and dozens of death notifications to families. I would much rather work with families to bring a peaceful resolve to this sensitive and uncomfortable issue now, rather than have them deal with it when a State Trooper is knocking on their front door".