Harcum College invites older adult drivers to its Bryn Mawr campus on October 4, 2013 to participate in a free education session about CarFit, an innovative, national program providing a comprehensive check on how well drivers and their vehicles work together. The event, taking place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., will provide motorists with traffic safety resources to keep them driving safely longer.
A first-of-its-kind program, CarFit was developed through collaboration with the American Society on Aging, AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association. Through this education session, trained professionals will lead adult drivers through a 12-point checklist with their vehicles, recommending car adjustments and adaptations to make the car best “fit” the driver and enhance their safety. An occupational therapist will also be on hand to provide information to drivers on how to maintain and strengthen driving health, as well as utilize local community resources on exercise, nutrition and road safety.
Find out what's happening in Bryn Mawr-Gladwynewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“As we age, changes in our vision, flexibility, strength, range of motion and even size and height may make us less comfortable and reduce our control behind the wheel,” says Ellen Rosenberg, Fieldwork Coordinator for Harcum College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. “CarFit provides older adults with the tools to understand and apply the safety features of their vehicles.”
Find out what's happening in Bryn Mawr-Gladwynewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Those 65 years and older are the fastest-growing population in the United States. By 2030, one in five drivers will be 65 years of age or older, equating to more than 30 millions older drivers on our roads. Due to their fragility, seniors have the second highest crash fatality rate per mile.
“It is critically important that mature drivers make safety a personal priority,” said Rosenberg. “Driving today is more difficult than ever because of increased traffic congestion, longer commute distances, larger vehicles and faster speeds. Older drivers can take important measures themselves to mitigate the stress associated with driving.”
The CarFit session will be held in the Pennswood Hall parking lot at Harcum College; drivers can enter from Montgomery Avenue or Pennswood Road. For more information or to register, please contact Rosenberg at 610-526-6024 or erosenberg@harcum.edu.
###
About Harcum College
Harcum College, one of Pennsylvania’s first independent, two-year colleges, was founded in Bryn Mawr, PA in 1915 and was the first college in Pennsylvania chartered by the state to grant associate degrees. Harcum offers fully accredited, career-ready majors in nursing, the allied health professions, business and social sciences on campus, online, and regionally through Partnership Sites, as well as lifelong learning programs and continuing education programs.
